NCAA TOURNAMENT: Sixth-Inning Rally Lifts Colby Past Endicott, 6-3
BANGOR, Maine — The Endicott softball team fell to Colby College, 6-3, in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament Husson Regional on Friday afternoon at O'Keefe Field. Consequently, the Gulls' 2026 campaign and playoff run came to a close.
WP (13-3): Sophia Meade (Guilford, Conn.) — 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
LP (11-6): Analise Grady (Reading, Mass.) — 5.2 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
After they fell behind 1-0 in the third inning, the Gulls responded with a three-run rally in the third to grab hold of a lead.
Vania Moniz (Salem, N.H.) kicked off the rally with a line-drive base-hit to second base before Mia Mitchell (Medford, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice and stole second to move into scoring position.
With runners on second and third, Abby McClaflin (Easthampton, Mass.) then delivered a single up the middle to plate Mitchell and get the Gulls on the board.
Kylyn McLaren (Rochester, N.H.) then stepped up to the plate and crushed a two-run go-ahead homer beyond the center field fence, sending the Gulls in front 3-1.
Grady held the Mules to just two runners in scoring position after the first inning, but they finally broke through in the sixth, scoring five runs to take a 6-3 lead they would not relinquish.
After a scoreless top of the seventh, the Mules locked up their win to clinch their spot in the Regional championship and ended the Gulls' season.
BEYOND THE BOX
- Endicott is now 4-1-1 in the all-time series against Colby College.
- McLaren launched her team-leading eighth bomb of the season.
- She concludes her junior campaign with the most homers of any Gull since Chloe Shapleigh '25 in 2024.
- McClaflin, Moniz, and Caroline Cummings (Trumbull, Conn.) all added hits in the loss.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott's 2026 campaign comes to a close after today's loss. The Gulls end their season with a 27-15 overall record.
Colby (28-12) will take on MIT tomorrow at 11 AM. They will need to win two games to win the Husson Regional Championship.
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(Photo Credit - Eric Ogden)