Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
LEESBURG, Fla. – First-year righty Elizabeth Mitchell (Coventry) threw a complete-game three-hit shutout for her first collegiate win and the Eastern Connecticut State University softball team pushed across four runs in the fourth inning without the ball leaving the infield in a 8-0, five-inning win over SUNY Old Westbury Monday afternoon at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.
 
In its second game, Eastern (1-2) bounced back to tie the game with two late-inning runs after losing an early 6-0 lead, but lost on a walk-off for the second time in two days in a 9-8 loss to Worcester State University (2-1).
 
On Wednesday, Eastern faces Ripon University (9 a.m.) and the University of Chicago (11:30 a.m.) at Hancock Park in Clermont, FL.
 
Eastern Conn. 8, Old Westbury 0 (5 inn.)
 
Mitchell (1-1), who went the distance in a 4-3 loss Sunday to Ramapo College, scattered three singles without a walk in the five-inning victory and got nine of her 15 outs on ground balls, with only two outs recorded by outfielders. As the No. 3 hitter, Mitchell had an RBI double and scored in a three-run third in the team's 12-hit attack, and reached on an infield single and scored in the four-run fourth.
 
Seven Eastern batters contributed at least one hit, six scored at least one run and five drove in at least one in the first meeting ever against Old Westbury (0-4).
 
Leading 3-0 in the fourth thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by Mitchell and cleanup hitter and DP Maddy Bowen (Hudson, NH) and an RBI infield single by junior third baseman Lily Kenefick (Southington) in the third, the Warriors put the game away by scoring their four runs in the fourth on four hits that never left the infield– two bunts and two infield singles – along with a stolen base and an infield error.
 
Mitchell, Bowen and No. 9 hitter Julia Boya (Coventry) all had two hits.
 
Defensively, Eastern played perfect in the field,with first-year rightfielder Sam Healy (Cranston, RI) making a diving grab for the second out of the final inning.
 
Worcester State 9, Eastern Conn. 8

 
The Warriors appeared headed for a sweep on the day after jumping to a 6-0 lead on eight hits in their two bats and chasing Worcester starter Taylor Coonan in the process, but the Lancers later battled back to score five runs on five hits in the third to take a 7-6 lead.
 
Trailing 8-6, Eastern got one back in the top of the fifth on a one-out single by senior first baseman Maggie Rubeck (Easthampton, MA) and a two-out opposite field RBI bloop single by pinch hitter Carli LoPresto (Stonington), and the Warriors tied the game, 8-8, with another run in the sixth on Mitchell's RBI double through the gap in left-center that scored senior infielder Maddi Sauve (Mansfield). Sauve walked to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by sophomore utility player Kaley Laird (Bristol).
 
In that inning, Eastern couldn't capitalize on an opportunity to go ahead when relief pitcher Sarah Gosselin (1-1) entered a tie game and stranded two runners in scoring position by inducing a shallow fly ball to right on the first pitch she threw, and an inning-ending ground ball to third on a full count.
 
With the game still tied in the top of the seventh, the Warriors put two runners aboard with one out on a walk to LoPresto and a single by first-year pitcher Michaella Bowen (Hudson, NH), but Gosselin got a line drive to third and an infield popup to end the threat.
 
With first-year righty pitcher Michaella Bowen  pitching her fourth inning of relief, the Lancers won the game in the seventh on consecutive one-out hits by No. 3 hitter Morgan Keefe (double) and a game-winning single by cleanup hitter Abigail Koziol on the first pitch that she saw. Keefe had not gotten the ball out of the infield in her first four at-bats.
 
In her first pitching appearance, Michaella Bowen gave up only two runs (one earned), allowing seven hits without a walk over the final 3 1/3 innings.
 
Mitchell and Rubeck both had two hits, including a double, scored twice and drove in two runs, while Laird set up two runs with sacrifice bunts.