Softball Sweep Garnet Chargers

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The MCLA Softball team took to the highway for its last road trip of the 2026 season, heading west for a non-conference matchup with Union College. Nevaeh Lopez knocked out five hits, and Allie Mienaltowski recorded her 11th complete game of the season to help the Trailblazers take home a sweep of the Garnet Chargers.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
• Game #1: MCLA 5, Union 4
• Game #2: MCLA 4, Union 2
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 18-16 (MASCAC 6-8) | Union College Garnet Chargers 14-22 (Liberty 3-9)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Game #1
  • MCLA jumped out to a lead in the top of the first inning, showcasing its quick strike capabilities with a two-out rally after Maggie Closinski (Rome, NY) worked a seven-pitch walk and then came all the way around to score on Hannah Gilbert's (Colrain, MA) double to centerfield.
  • Gilbert extended that lead in the third inning, plating Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA) and Nevaeh Lopez (Pittsfield, MA) after Peabody had singled to centerfield and Lopez had reached on an infield hit.
  • Union would respond with a pair of runs on three hits and an error in the fourth inning, including an RBI single Daniella Nocera.
  • The home team then evened the score with another run in the sixth on Sophia Burynski's RBI single that scored pinch runner Gianna Guastaferro.
  • The Trailblazers bounced right back, taking the lead back in the top of the next frame, scoring two runs on two hits and capitalizing on an error. Hannah Mitchem (Baltimore, MD) opened the inning by reaching on an error by the third baseman, and then moved to third on Peabody's double into the right-center field alley. Mitchem then scored on a sac fly by Lopez, and Peabody came around on Closinski's single up the middle.
  • Union continued to fight, scoring one run on three hits and loading the bases before Allie Mienaltowski (Delanson, NY) induced a foul pop-up to Closinski behind the plate to secure the 5-4 victory.
  • Mienaltowski went the distance for her 11th complete game, allowing four runs, two earned, with one strikeout to up her record to 8-7. Carra Cleaves took the loss for the home team, dropping to 8-10 despite striking out 11 batters against only two walks.
• Game #2
  • The second game was a tight pitcher's duel with all but one of the runs scored in a single frame. That one run was scored by the Trailblazers in the top of the third inning with another two-out rally, powered by Peabody's legs. After the senior reached on a five-pitch walk, she then stole second and third on back-to-back pitches, taking both bases without drawing a throw. Lopez picked up the RBI with a single through the five and a half hole.
  • The one-run lead held steady until the top of the sixth inning when the top of the MCLA order again dealt some damage. Peabody opened the frame by legging out an infield single and picked up her third stolen base of the game to take second. Lopez followed with a high fly ball to left-center that turned into a double, but only allowed Peabody to move up 60 feet while she waited to see if the ball would be caught. Gilbert's reached on a groundball to the shortstop, who chose to go for Peabody at the plate, but the catcher didn't notice that there was no force play, and never attempted a tag. With runners on the corners and no outs, the Trailblazers executed a perfect safety squeeze when Paxton Ebling (Pittsfield, MA) laid down a 2-1 bunt along the third base line, forcing the third baseman to field it and Lopez crashed to the plate behind the fielder's throw, while Gilbert never slowed, moving all the way to third to again put runners on the corners. Gilbert scored one batter later when Mienaltowski's potential double-play ball to second was thrown into left field, putting MCLA up 4-0.
  • The Garnet Chargers responded with two runs on two hits and scored on a pair of RBI groundouts by Amy FitzPatrick and Elizabeth Warner.
  • The Trailblazers' starter Juliana Johansen (Pittsfield, MA) improved her record to 3-1 with four and a third shutout innings. Gilbert picked up her first collegiate save, allowing only two hits over the final two and two-thirds. The Garnet Chargers' starter Coco Medeiros fell to 0-4 after allowing four runs over six innings and striking out five.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Lopez collected five hits in six at-bats between both games, scored two runs, and drove in two others.
• With her three hits across both games, Peabody is now four hits away from tying Michelle Littlefield for the program record of 178 career hits.

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when it plays host to Worcester State University at Shewcraft Field for a MASCAC matchup with the Lancers. The first pitch is scheduled for noon. Be sure to arrive early, as the Trailblazers will be celebrating their 2026 senior class before the game.

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