Softball Drops a Pair of Tight Contests at Space Coast Spring Games

MELBOURNE, Fla. – After the rain paused the MCLA Softball team's game against UMass-Boston on Sunday, the Trailblazers were looking to get back in the win column today at the Space Coast Spring Games. In their first matchup of the day, MCLA took on the Grinnell College Pioneers Salve Regina University Seahawks, while the day was capped with a clash against the Salve Regina University Seahawks.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
• Game #1: MCLA 2, Grinnell 4
• • Records: MCLA Trailblazers 1-3 (MASCAC 0-0) | Grinnell College Pioneers 4-10 (MIDWEST 0-0)
  • Series History: Grinnell now leads the all-time series 2-1. MCLA took the last meeting of the teams by the score of 12-9 on March 14, 2025, at the Space Coast Spring Games. Salve Regina won the first-ever meeting between the teams, 3-1, on March 20, 1997.
• Game #2: Salve Regina 2, MCLA 1
• • Records: Salve Regina University Seahawks 1-5 (NEWMAC 0-0) | MCLA Trailblazers 1-4 (MASCAC 0-0)
• Series History: This was the first-ever meeting of the teams.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Game #1
  • The Trailblazers posted the first run of the game when Hannah Gilbert's (Colrain, MA) double to the left-center gap plated Nevaeh Lopez (Pittsfield, MA) all the way from first after shortstop had worked a five-pitch walk.
  • Grinnell would respond with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame when Emily Gonzalez drove a two-out 0-1 pitch with two runners on into the left-center gap for a bases-clearing double.
  • The 2-1 score would hold until the bottom of the third inning when the Pioneers played some small ball to push another run across. Ava Araujo led off with an infield single and went all the way around to third on a sacrifice bunt. She came around to score on Kayla O'Malley's groundout to second base.
  • MCLA cut the deficit back to one run in the top of the fifth with a two-out rally when Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY) pulled a 2-1 pitch just inside the left field line. Paxton Ebling (Pittsfield, MA) then traded places with Closinski, with another double into the left field corner.
  • Grinnell would get the run back in the bottom of the inning with their own two-out rally when Araujo singled into center field and Gabriella Simon doubled into left-center field, chasing Araujo all the way home.
  • Emma Trani went the distance for the Pioneers to move to 3-4 after scattering nine hits, allowing two runs, and striking out four. Allie Mienaltowski suffered the loss for the Trailblazers after allowing four runs with only one earned on five hits to drop to 0-2.
• Game #2
  • The Trailblazers and the Seahawks needed a bonus frame to decide their matchup when Emily Cronin singled up the middle to allow Emily Moskal, who had been placed at second by the extra-inning rules, to score.
  • Salve Regina scored their first run in the top of the third after Lillian Bridges beat out an infield single and then stole second base, before moving to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Gracie Keyes singled back through the box to pick up the RBI.
  • MCLA scored their run in the fourth when Closinski led off with a double to left field. Two batters later, the senior came all the way around from second when Alexandra Espel (Acra, NY) lined a ground ball through the left side of the infield.
  • Shea Murphy completed all eight innings, striking out 11 and limiting the Trailblazers to three hits and a single run to improve to 1-0. Gilbert matched Murphy with eight innings pitched, allowing two runs, one earned, while scattering seven hits and striking out five.

UP NEXT:

On Wednesday, MCLA will be back in action when it continues its run in the Space Coast Spring Games with a pair of games against the Central College Dutch at 12:15 p.m. and the UMass-Boston Beacons at 2:30 p.m. at the USSSA Space Coast Complex.

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