CLERMONT, Fla. – Mount Ida College defeated Becker 4-1 on Tuesday afternoon to earn their first victory of the 2014 season. The Mustangs are now 1-3 on the year after a 9-4 loss to Wheaton (Ill.) in the second game of the day.

Game 1: Mount Ida 4, Becker 1

Mount Ida tied the game at one in the bottom of the second inning and then scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth while holding the Hawks to just three hits on the day.

Shortstop Nickole Soto (Marlboro, Mass.) went 2-3, scoring two runs and stealing a base, while second baseman Gina Onorevole (Lafayette, N.J.) had two of Mount Ida's nine hits and drove in two runs, the first with a single to left to score Soto and knot the game.

Onorevole gave the Mustangs the lead in the fourth on an RBI groundout that plated Lucianna Medici (Riverside, R.I.).

Leadoff hitter Michele MacDonald (North Dighton, Mass.) also had two hits, stole a base, and scored a run in the fifth on an RBI double by senior Kirsten Guerrero (Fairfield, Conn.).

Soto added another insurance run the next inning when she scored on an error.

The Hawks got their lone run in the top of the second, as Jessica Brochu crossed the plate on a bases loaded walk issued to second baseman Lauren Lavalle.

Freshman Kaitlyn Muhlenforth (Bohemia, N.Y.) earned her first win of the year, improving to 1-1 after pitching six innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits and a walk.

Nicole Handzel (Palmer, Mas.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning with a hit and two strikeouts.

Kelsey Norberg fell to 1-2 despite a strong outing for Becker. Norberg allowed four runs, three earned, and struck out four over six innings, while issuing two walks and scattering nine hits.  

Game 2: Wheaton (Ill.) 9, Mount Ida 4

More details to follow!

The Mustangs take on Coast Guard at 3:00 pm today and then face Haverford at 5:00 pm.