Staffier Picks Up 100th Hit, Softball Sweeps MMA

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team returned to conference play this afternoon when they welcomed the Mass. Maritime Academy to Shewcraft Field. While it is still relatively early in the conference schedule, both teams came in with intentions to improve their place in the MASCAC standings to help their playoff seeding. A five-run inning to ignite a 7-4 win in game one was just an appetizer for the Trailblazers, who opened game two with an eight run first inning to roll past MMA 11-3.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
• Game #1: MMA 4, MCLA 7
• Game #2: MMA 3, MCLA 11
• Records: Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buccaneers 14-12 (MASCAC 1-5) | MCLA Trailblazers 11-11 (MASCAC 4-2)
• Series History: MCLA leads the all-time series 35-19. MMA swept a doubleheader last season by scores of 9-4 and 7-6 on April 13, 2024 in Buzzard's Bay. MCLA swept the first-ever meeting of the teams 12-0 and 21-5 in 1985.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • The Buccaneers scored first, plating one run in the first and three more in the second inning before Trailblazers starting pitcher Juliana Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) settled in, allowing three hits over four scoreless innings.
  • MCLA started their comeback in the fourth inning when junior outfielder Alexandra Espel's (Acra, NY) sacrifice fly scored sophomore pinch runner Hannah Mitchem (Baltimore, MD) to get the hosts on the scoreboard.
  • Things began to get interesting for the Trailblazer in the fifth inning. First year outfielder Samantha Wheeler (Agawam, MA) led off with a single back through the box and moved to second on a bunt single by graduate student outfielder Maddy Teta (Troy, NY). Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and then advanced again on a sacrifice fly by Ella Staffier that plated Wheeler. Junior Hailey Peabody (West Springfield, MA) then tripled Teta home before taking an opportunistic extra base when the first baseman's throw to the pitcher was lackadaisical. With the game now tied, and the bases cleared, Senior Madyson Torres (Dripping Springs, TX) singled and moved to third on junior infielder Maggie Closinski's (Rome, NY) double to centerfield. Two batters later Espel picked up her second RBI of the game with an infield single that plated Torres, and Closinski followed behind when the second baseman's attempt on Torres at the plate missed its mark.
  • In the sixth, MCLA added some insurance when Teta's one-out triple was followed by a sac fly by Staffier to put the home team up 7-4.
  • A scoreless seventh inning allowed Johansen to close out the game and improved her record to 7-5. MMA's Jennamarie Klemp took the loss to level her record at 7-7.
• Game #2
  • With a stiff breeze flowing through the Zavatarro Athletic complex, Mass. Maritime started game two by scoring an unearned run in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the frame, MCLA put on their hitting shoes, sending 12 players to the plate, and crossing home eight times. Torres knocked home the first two runs with a bases loaded single to left, scoring Teta and Staffier. Closinski's triple to the left-center field gap plated Peabody and Torres. Closinski then scored on an infield bunt hit from Ezmeralda Albright (Loves Park, IL). RBIs from Wheeler, Teta, Espel increased the lead to 8-1.
  • The teams traded runs in the third inning. The Buccaneer run was unearned, scoring on an error. The Trailblazer run was scored on back-to-back doubles from senior infielder Veronica Deacon (Amesbury, MA) and Wheeler to put MCLA up 9-2.
  • Looking to fend off a mercy rule loss, Mass. Maritime scored one run on a Jennamarie Catlett single up the middle.
  • In the bottom of the fifth, Espel hit her first home run as a Trailblazer with one out, a shot to straight away centerfield. Two batters later, Wheeler doubled down the rightfield line and scored when Teta was safe on an infield single.
  • Peabody was credited with her fifth complete game of the year, scattering five hits, and allowing three runs (one earned) and moving to 4-5 for the year. Catlett took the loss for MMA after allowing seven runs without recording an out and falling to 7-5.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• MCLA's Staffier picked up her 100^th career hit in the first inning of game #2 when she singled to left field.

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when it travels Coolidge Park and Fitchburg State for a MASCAC matchup with the Falcons. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.

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