Softball Drop Two on Day Two in Florida

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The MCLA Softball continued their annual spring break road trip today at the Space Coast Spring Games hosted by the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) at the Space Coast Complex. The Trailblazers dropped both of their games today against fellow New England schools Western Connecticut State University and Hartford University.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
• Game #1: MCLA 1, WestConn 8
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 0-1 (MASCAC 0-0) | Western Connecticut State University Wolves 1-0 (LEC 0-0)
• Series History: WestConn leads the all-time series 8-6, including a 6-3 win last season at the Gene Cusic Classic on March 9^th. MCLA won the first-ever meeting of the team 4-3 on May 15, 1994 in the quarter final round of the ECAC DIII tournament.
• Game #2: Hartford 10, MCLA 0
• Records: Hartford University Hawks 4-3 (CNE 0-0) | MCLA Trailblazers 1-3 (MASCAC 0-0)
• Series History: This was the first-ever meeting of the teams.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Game #1
  • WestConn scored early, putting up one run in the bottom of the first inning on one hit, a walk, and a sacrifice fly. They then put up their first crooked number of the day scoring four runs in the bottom of the third with the big hit being a two-run double by Brianna Malvino.
  • MCLA scored their lone run of the game in the top of the sixth inning, stringing together a two out rally that started with an infield single by junior second baseman Ella Staffier (Marshfield, MA). Junior Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY) then followed with a single to left field, and sophomore outfielder Smantha Wheeler (Agawam, MA) scored Staffier with another single.
  • The Wolves pushed the game to the brink, scoring three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, with the big hit again being a two run double by Kendall Allen.
  • WestConn's Lindsay Farinaccio went the distance for the Wolves, scattering seven hits and striking out four to move to 1-0 on the year. Closinski picked up the loss for the Trailblazers, dropping to 0-1.
• Game #2
  • The second game of the day was not kind to MCLA with Hartford scoring runs in four of the five innings, including a five-spot in the third, and three more runs in the fourth inning.
  • The Hawks Olivia Wolk went 2-2 with a double, a triple, an RBI, and a run scored.
  • Hartford's Gracie Hopkins threw a complete game, allowing only three hits and striking out ten to even her record at 1-1.
  • MCLA got hits from junior Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA), Closinski, and senior Madyson Torres (Dripping Springs, TX).

UP NEXT:

On Monday, MCLA will again be in action at the Space Coast Spring Games, where it will face the Hamilton College Continentals and the Rutgers-Newark University Raiders. The first game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

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