Hannah Mitchem Leads Softball to Sweep Over VTSU-Johnson

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team returned to the field this afternoon looking to build off their record-breaking performance against SUNY Cobleskill, welcoming VTSU-Johnson to Shewcraft Field for a non-conference matchup. Hannah Mitchem went 3-4 at the plate with two doubles, three RBI, and a stolen base to lead the Trailblazers to a sweep over the Badgers.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
• Game #1: VTSU-Johnson 2, MCLA 6
• Game #2: VTSU-Johnson 0, MCLA 8
• Records: Vermont State University Johnson 0-9 (NAC 0-0) | MCLA Trailblazers 5-7 (MASCAC 0-0)
• Series History: This was the first-ever meeting of the teams.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • After Juliana Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) sat VTSU-Johnson down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, MCLA jumped on the Badgers early, scoring four runs in the bottom of the frame to set a tone for the afternoon. Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY) started the scoring when her single up the middle scored Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA) and Nevaeh Lopez (Pittsfield, MA), who had opened the inning with a walk and single, respectively, and both then stole their way to second base. Closinski made her way to third base on a wild pitch and a steal of third. After Hannah Gilbert (Colrain, MA) walked to get runners on the corners, Gilbert took off for second on the first pitch, drawing a throw from the catcher. The Badger shortstop cut off the throw and then charged at Closinski, who took off for home on the throw. The shortstop's throw back to the catcher clanked off the catcher's mask, allowing Gilbert to move to third before scoring on a passed ball.
  • VTSU responded in the top of the second, scoring two runs on only a single hit. Three Badger batters opened the frame with walks before Johansen gave way to Allie Mienaltowski (Delanson, NY). Hannah Corvino welcomed Mienaltowski to the game with a single to center that scored Taylor Reddick. After Nikki Sweet struck out, Kamryn Devero was able to score Grace Allen with an RBI groundball to the shortstop, cutting the Trailblazers' lead to 4-2.
  • The Trailblazers added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth after Paxton Ebling (Pittsfield, MA) led off with a double to left field, moved to third on a passed ball, and then scored when Alexandra Espel (Acra, NY) reached on a dropped throw from the pitcher to the first baseman. Espel then stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Samantha Wheeler (Agawam, MA). Hannah Mitchem (Baltimore, MD) followed up with a double just inside the third base bag that went to the left field corner to put MCLA ahead 6-2.
  • Mienaltowski threw six innings of scoreless relief, while striking out six to improve her record to 2-4. Corvino took the loss for Johnson to fall to 0-5.
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• Game #2
  • The Trailblazers again set the tone early in the second game, plating six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Lopez started the one-out rally with a lined shot back to the pitcher. Madyson Stingle recovered and made an attempt on Lopez and first, but the shortstop had already cleared the bag. Closinski then popped a ball down the left field line that the left fielder was unable to control, allowing Closinski to get to second and Lopez to third. Lopez scored on an infield single and a stolen base by Gilbert, and was followed by Closinski scoring on a passed ball. Ebling worked a five-pitch walk, and then Amelia Leasure's (Pittsfield, MA) sacrifice fly to right field to bring Gilbert home. After Ebling stole second and Mienaltowski walked, Miranda Ranzoni's (Adams, MA) lined an 0-1 pitch back through the circle to score Ebling. Ranzoni and Mienaltowski then stole their way to second and third and scored on a two-run double to left by Mitchem.
  • MCLA was able to pick up a walk-off win in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring two runs on two hits to invoke the mercy rule. With one out, Ebling reached on a two-base dropped fly ball by the left fielder, and moved to third when Leasure singled to center. Both Ebling and Leasure would score when singled to right field.
  • Gilbert followed up her no-hitter over SUNY Cobleskill earlier in the week with a three-hitter against the Badgers, striking out nine while only walking two. The first year leveled her record at 2-2. Stingle absorbed the loss for Johnson, dropping to 0-2.

UP NEXT:

On Tuesday, MCLA will be back in action when it plays host to New England College at Shewcraft Field for a non-conference matchup with the Pilgrims. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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