Mariners Sail Past Wildcats

LONGMEADOW, Mass.- Bay Path College Wildcats was swept by New England Collegiate Conference opponent the Mitchell Mariners today during the Wildcats senior send-off today at the Farmlea Road Field. The Mariners won the opener 6-1 and took the nightcap 11-2 in women's softball action. Junior infielder Emily Evans (Westford, Mass.) led the Wildcats hitting safely in both games. Evans finished with a .600 batting average (3-for-5).

In game one, Bay Path struck first in the bottom of the third. Senior honoree and leadoff centerfielder Katie Begin (Weare, N.H.) reached on an error by the Mariners' first baseman. Begin would score the lone run after freshman hurler Keelin Dougherty (Northfield, N.H.) plated her on a shot to right center.

Mitchell would answer in the top of the fourth scoring two runs including the eventual game winner. Junior outfielder Shannen Pelletier (Coventry, R.I.) notched both RBI on double down the left line plating sophomore catcher Meghan Burke (Bronx, N.Y.) and sophomore infielder Tiffany Person (Waterbury, Conn.).

Mitchell would return in the fifth and score four more insurance runs from Burke, Person, senior outfielder Jen Bordonaro (Winsted, Conn.)  and junior infielder Nikki Hoxie (Winsted, Conn.). Bordonaro and Person each shelled doubles, while Burke tallied a single shot.

Junior pitcher Marissa Thomas (New London, Conn.) earned the win after tossing seven innings giving up five hits and only one run. Thomas (10-6) struck-out six for the game. She would eventual notch the nightcap victory as well allowing two runs on four hits while fanning seven in the second game.

Dougherty (5-8) suffered the loss. She scattered nine hits and six runs, five earned. Dougherty struck out six and walked one for the seven innings.

Person scored first for the Mariners in the second off of a double shot down the left line by freshman infielder Chelsea Arpin (Killingly, Conn.). Arpin would cross the plate on a wild pitch.

Bay Path would reply in the bottom of the second to knot the score 2-for-2. Senior honoree catcher Jessica Priestly (Middleboro, Mass.) launched a two-run homer over the centerfield fence. Priestly would bring freshman catcher /infielder Mercedes Griffith (Malden, Mass.) along for the ride. Griffith went 2-for-6 along with Dougherty for the day.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they could not prevent the Mariners from scoring three more runs in the third along four in the sixth and two more in the seventh.  Out of the nine additional runs added by Mitchell only three of them were earned including the winning run in the third scored by Bordonaro.

Senior honoree Alex Putnam (Topsfield, Mass.) suffered the loss allowing eleven runs, only five earned on 14 hits. Putnam (4-8) fanned four and gave up two free trips to first.

Besides Begin, Priestly and Putnam, Head Coach Steve Smith also paid homage to three other senior members of the 2011 squad who will play their final game at home for the Wildcats including infielder Kate Lowy (South Burlington, Vt.), outfielder Taryn Ricci (Southington, Conn. ) and injured infielder Sam Hahn (Hadley, Mass.).

Bay Path falls to 9-16 overall and 3-10 in the NECC, while Mitchell improves to 13-15 on the season and 10-4 in conference play.