Softball Earns Split of Doubleheader with Buccaneers

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The MCLA Softball team took to the road this afternoon, heading east to Rollins Field and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy for a MASCAC clash with the Buccaneers. Hannah Gilbert and Allie Mienaltowski each threw complete games, yet one came away with a win and the other a loss as the Trailblazers finished the doubleheader with a split, dropping the first game of the afternoon 5-2 before rallying back and winning the nightcap 2-0.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
• Game #1: MCLA 2, MMA 5
• Game #2: MCLA 2, MMA 0
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 16-16 (MASCAC 6-8) | Massachusetts Maritime Academy 12-19 (MASCAC 4-12)
• Series History: MCLA leads the all-time series 36-20, including a sweep last season in North Adams by matching scores of 7-4 on April 16th. The Trailblazers also swept the first-ever meeting of the teams in Buzzards Bay, winning 12-0 and 21-5 in 1985.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • The Trailblazers were the first ones on the scoreboard in the first game of the afternoon, playing some small ball to manufacture a run in the top half of the second inning. Alexandra Espel (Acra, NY) opened the inning with a four-pitch walk before moving to second and then third on sacrifice bunts by Samantha Wheeler (Agawam, MA) and Miranda Ranzoni (Adams, MA) and scoring on an infield single by Hannah Mitchem (Baltimore, MD).
  • The Bucs would respond in the bottom of the third frame when Kelsey Booker homered to left field on a 0-1 pitch for a 2-1 lead.
  • The lead stood until the top of the fifth when MCLA pulled back to even with the home team. Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA) opened the inning pulling a pitch down the left field line for a double and moved to third on a productive groundout by Nevaeh Lopez (Pittsfield, MA). The senior then completed the circuit when the MMA catcher attempted to back pick her at third base, only to see the throw get away.
  • The Buccaneers bounced back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on an RBI fielder's choice by Ab'c'de Patane and a shot back through the middle by Carlee Hiddemen. MMA also added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single by Booker.
  • Jennamarie Klemp picked up the win for the Bucs after scattering four hits over seven innings to up her record to 9-10. Hannah Gilbert (Colrain, MA) took the loss for the Trailblazers to fall to 7-8.
• Game #2
  • The second half of the afternoon was a pitchers' duel with the teams combining for 12 hits, but could only scratch across two runs. Both of those runs would end up on the visitors' side of the scoreboard, the first of which scored when Peabody pulled a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence.
  • MCLA provided itself with an insurance run in the sixth inning with a two-out rally that started with Allie Mienaltowski's (Delanson, NY) triple down the right field line before the sophomore scampered home on a wild pitch.
  • Mienaltowski also threw a complete game shutout, allowing only four hits while striking out four and walking zero to level her record at 7-7. MMA's Ashleigh Catlett allowed only two runs, one earned, over six innings while striking out five, but dropped to 3-9.

UP NEXT:

On Wednesday, MCLA will be back in action when it travels to Alexander Field and Union College for a non-conference matchup with the Garnet Chargers. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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