MCLA Softball Earns Sweep on Road
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LONGMEADOW, Mass. -- The MCLA softball team's offense posted 30 runs as the Trailblazers swept the Bay Path Wildcats Thursday afternoon in non league action.
The visiting Trailblazers earned a convincing 18-1 five-inning, mercy rule win in the opener before adding a 12-8 triumph in the nightcap. The wins marked the first in the career of MCLA head coach Adriane Baird.
MCLA is now 2-11 as it prepares to start league play on Saturday at Bridgewater State. Bay Path falls to 2-8 on the season.
MCLA 18, Bay Path 1
In the opener, MCLA pounded out 18 hits to account for its 18 runs in the five inning victory. The Trailblazers scored eight runs in the top of the first inning and cruised from there. Nicole Main delivered the key hit in the frame with a two-run single.
The Trailblazers added a run in the second on Sydney Mathews' RBI knock and then left no doubt about the outcome with a five run uprising in the third. Veronica Deacon collected a pair of RBIs with a single and Justina Pardi, Madyson Torres, and Mathews each drove in runs.
Pardi add two more RBIs in the fourth with a double.
The offensive support was plenty for MCLA starter Lora Woyton. The first-year went all five innings and allowed just two hits. She struck out 11 Wildcats to earn her first win of the season.
Pardi led the attack in game one going 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs. Teta and Lidia Flores each added three hits while Flores and Mathews drove in three apiece.
MCLA 12, Bay Path 8
The nightcap was more competitive, but MCLA kept up the pressure on the Wildcats. MCLA jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one and half innings and then tallied five runs in the fourth to increase the lead to 9-1. Maddie Teta ripped a two-run double to highlight the five-run uprising.
Bay Path did not go quietly however as it also put up five runs in the bottom of the fourth to close within 9-6.
The Trailblazers regained control when starting pitcher Avianna Ibrahim would help her own cause with a two-run triple to make it 11-6 in favor of MCLA. An error brought around another run to increase the margin to 12-6. Bay Path added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, however darkness called the remainder of the game and MCLA earned the sweep.
Ibrahim earned her first win for the Trailblazers going the distance. She struck out four Wildcats in the process.
Main led the offense with a 3-for-3 showing in game two with two RBIs and two runs scored. Teta was productive as well going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Woyton and Sarah McMahon each added two hits for the Trailblazers.
