Mustangs Race to Doubleheader Sweep against AMCAT Softball

NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida College stymied Anna Maria College, allowing just two runs over two games, including a shutout in the nightcap as they swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball doubleheader on Friday evening at Alumni Field.

The Mustangs (4-16, 4-7 GNAC) were playing as the visiting team and won the first game by a 10-2 score before taking the second game with a 7-0 shutout.

Mount Ida 10, Anna Maria 2

Sophomores Kaitlyn Muhlenforth (Bohemia, N.Y.) and Shannon McArthur (Coventry, R.I.) and freshman Alexis Boswell (Amesbury, Mass.) were each 3-4 in the game, as Mount Ida pounded out 15 hits, including a homerun by Muhlenforth to open the scoring in the top of the first.

Muhlenforth scored three times, while Boswell drove in three runs, two of them on a bases-loaded single to left field to cap a five-run top of the third for the Mustangs, which also included a two-run double by Emma Morton (Winchester, Mass.) and another RBI two-bagger by McArthur.

Anna Maria cut the lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single by catcher Lindsay Bond (Webster, Mass.), which scored Elizabeth Haggerty (Charlton, Mass.), and saw third baseman Amy Clement (Townsend, Mass.) also come around on the play on an error.

Despite those two runs, and three hits by shortstop Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.), the AMCATS couldn't get any closer thanks to three more runs in the top of the seventh for the Mustangs. That inning featured an RBI single to left field by Boswell to score McArthur and a double steal by Boswell and Sam Laferriere (Tewksbury, Mass.), who swiped home plate before Boswell came around to score on a triple to center field by center fielder Michele MacDonald (North Dighton, Mass.).

Sophomore Nicole Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) improved her season mark to 2-0 in the circle with a complete game in which she allowed just one earned run and struck out five batters while issuing five walks and allowing seven hits.

AMCATS senior starter Nichole Lowe (Saugus, Mass.) fell to 3-7 on the year after giving up 15 hits and three walks with just one strikeout in seven innings.

Mount Ida 7, Anna Maria 0

Mount Ida freshman Hayley Microulis (Pawtucket, R.I.) pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just seven hits and one walk to earn her second win of the season.

Freshman Lexi Minicucci (Westfield, Mass.) had three hits and drove in three runs in the game two win, all of them coming on one swing of the bat when she doubled to right center in the top of the fourth which capped the scoring for the Mustangs, who already led 4-0 at that point.

They grabbed three of those runs in the top of the first with an RBI groundout by Muhlenforth scoring MacDonald and a single by Morton plating Lucianna Medici (Riverside, R.I.).

McArthur plated Microulis, who had reached on a fielder's choice, with a single to left center with two outs in the inning.

Microulis helped her own cause again in the top of the third when she singled up the middle and scored on an infield hit by Boswell.

The Mustangs loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fourth with singles by Medici and Morton and a hit by pitch of Microulis, all three of which came around to score on the stroke by Minicucci.

First baseman Cristina Turley (Waterford, Conn.) had the only multi-hit game for Anna Maria, who saw junior Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, Mass.) drop to 0-9 after throwing seven innings and allowing 13 hits. Vousboukis did strike out two Mustangs and allowed just one base on balls.

The Mustangs continue a four day streak of games at home tomorrow evening when they host Norwich in another GNAC doubleheader at 4:30 and 6:30 pm.

The AMCATS (3-16, 1-10 GNAC) will look to bounce back tomorrow when they travel to Johnson & Wales for a 12:00 pm twinbill.