Mitchell College Knocked Out Of Softball Tournament

The third-ranked Daniel Webster College held onto a 2-1 lead over second-ranked Mitchell College on Saturday to go on to try to take the title from three-time New England Collegiate Conference Softball Tournament winner Lesley University today. The following information was provided by Ryan McCarthy, sports information director at Lesley University:

Lauren Chesnulevich (Hudson, NH/Alvirne) with a run scored and one driven in, and Amy Waller (Berlin, MA/Tahanto) tripled and scored for the Eagles, which got a sparkling performance from starter Amanda Wilson (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack). The senior struck out six in her complete game, scattering seven hits and allowing only an unearned run.

Dylan Riccardi (Elmont, NY/Sewanhaka) went 2-for-3 for the Mariners, leading off the seventh inning with a double but Mitchell could not get the tying run home. Lindsay Romagnino (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) also went 2-for-3 in the loss.

The Eagles tallied three hits in the first on Mitchell starter Tricia Tomaselli (Guilford, CT/Guilford), including a leadoff triple by Waller that saw the second base player thrown out at home, but came away scoreless after stranding runners at the corners. Mitchell wasted no time taking advantage, with leadoff hitter Tiffany Person (Waterbury, CT/Crosby) beating out a bunt single, advancing to third on a two-base throwing error and scoring on a sacrifice fly.

The 1-0 lead held until the third, when Waller led off with a walk and scored on a Chesnulevich double to left. The Eagles catcher then came around on a Chelsea Crawford (Westfield, MA/Westfield) single through the left side to take a 2-1 lead that held for the rest of the game. 

Riccardi led off the seventh with a double to right and was lifted for pinch runner Shane’l Blount, who was sacrificed to third. With two outs and Blount on third, Person grounded to the hole on the right side, where Waller dove to her left and threw from her knees to beat a the speedy Person and send the Eagles to the championship.