Wildcats Snap Softball’s Win Streak at 12 Games, Trailblazers Rally for Split at Bay Path

LONGMEADOW, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team took to the highway this afternoon for a road trip to Bay Path University for a non-conference doubleheader with the Wildcats. Hannah Gilbert hit three home runs across the two games, including two in the Trailblazers 8-2 win in the second game of the series. The Wildcats' Madison Tessmer went 2-4 with four runs scored as Bay Path snapped MCLA's win streak at 12 games with an 11-7 win for the home team.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
• Game #1: MCLA 7, Bay Path 11
• Game #2: MCLA 8, Bay Path 2
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 14-8 (MASCAC 4-0) | Bay Path University Wildcats 10-12 (Conference N/A)
• Series History: Bay Path now leads the all-time series 12-10. The Wildcats took both ends of a doubleheader last season in North Adams by scores of 10-6 and 11-3 on April 10, 2025. The teams split a doubleheader when they met for the first time on April 3, 2008, with Bay Path taking the first game 12-9 and the Trailblazers rallying to win the nightcap 9-5.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • After holding the Trailblazers to a leadoff single by Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA) in the top of the inning, the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Madison Tessmer scampered home on a wild pitch.
  • MCLA responded with a four-spot in the top of the second, scoring runs on an RBI single by Amelia Leasure (Pittsfield, MA), a bunt RBI single by Miranda Ranzoni (Adams, MA), an RBI double by Peabody, and an RBI single by Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY).
  • The home team would respond in kind, posting their own four-spot to retake the lead at 5-4. The big hits in the innings were RBI singles by Caroline Austin, Tessmer, and Madison Sunderland. The Wildcats added one more run in the third on Allison Dattilo's RBI groundout to go up 6-4.
  • The Trailblazers took their first lead of the afternoon in the fourth inning with their second multi-run inning of the game. Nevaeh Lopez (Pittsfield, MA) led off with a home run, blasting a 1-0 pitch to left field. One batter later, Hannah Gilbert (Colrain, MA) went one better, blasting a 2-0 pitch out to left field for a two-run homer and a 7-6 lead.
  • Bay Path again responded, posting multi-run innings in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth frames. In the fourth inning, both runs scored on Jackie Phillips' double down the right field line. The fifth inning big hit was a two-run single by Jenna Boudreau.
  • MCLA would threaten in the sixth with two runners on with only one out, but the Wildcats' pitcher Kaitlyn Kerstetter was able to squirm out of the pickle, and improved her record to 3-5 after striking out six. The Trailblazers' Allie Mienaltowski (Delanson, NY) took the loss to fall to 6-4 after striking out six in four and two-thirds innings.
• Game #2
  • The Trailblazers rallied in the nightcap, never trailing en route to an 8-2 bounce-back win.
  • Peabody and Lopez combined to manufacture MCLA's first run in the top of the first inning. Peabody led off with a walk, stole second, and then scored on Lopez's RBI single to left.
  • The Trailblazers then doubled to lead to 2-0 in the third inning with Peabody and Lopez again combining to add the tally. This time, it was Peabody reaching on a bunt single and advancing all the way to third base on a passed ball. Lopez then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Peabody to complete the circuit.
  • Tired of the one-run tallies but still enjoying odd-numbered innings, MCLA posted three-run innings in both the fifth and seventh stanzas. The fifth inning rally came with two outs and started with a three-run homer by Gilbert, driving home both Peabody and Lopez.
  • The seventh inning saw Lopez bring Peabody home for the third time in the game, chasing the senior home with a double to center field, with Lopez moving to third on the Wildcats' throw home. Closinski then scored Lopez with a sacrifice fly to center field. Gilbert would cap the Trailblazers' offense with her second homer of the game, and third of the afternoon. This time, blasting a shot to center field.
  • Bay Path would cost MCLA starting pitcher Juliana Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) her shutout by plating a pair of runs in the seventh inning on an RBI double by Ansley Morrison and an RBI single by Ariana Rivard. Johansen would wiggle out of a bases-loaded situation to close the game with a strikeout of Sunderland.
  • Johansen moved her record to 2-1 after allowing two runs on nine hits in seven innings, and striking out four. The Wildcats' Sunderland suffered the loss, dropping to 4-3.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• With her five home runs over the last two days, Gilbert is already tied with Kristin King in 2001 and Maddy Teta in 2023 for the second most home runs in a season, trailing only Kristen Parzych's seven-homer season in 1999.
• The loss in the first game snapped the Trailblazers' longest winning streak since a 27-game streak in 1995.

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when it travels to Maple Street Field and Framingham State University for a MASCAC matchup with the Rams. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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