Hartford, Conn. – Sophomore Hannah Zukowski (Burlington, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a run, a double, and three RBIs to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 7-3 victory over the Colby College Mules in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) East Division softball action this afternoon.  Trinity improves to 15-12 overall and 5-4 in the NESCAC, while the Mules fall to 4-26 overall and 0-10 in the league with their 13th loss in a row.  The teams will complete the three-game series tomorrow with a noon doubleheader. 

Trinity jumped ahead in the top of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run Zukowski single.  The Bantams added three more runs in the third inning thanks to back-to-back doubles by sophomore CF Jenna Thomas (Orange, Conn.) and senior tri-captain SS Courtney Erickson (Everett, Mass.) and a two-run jack by rookie Alex Chambers (East Lyme, Conn.).  The Mules fought back and scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning and two more in the fifth on RBI doubles by freshman Paige Bober and senior Paige Hartnett to make the score, 5-3.  Trinity increased its lead to 7-3 with two runs in the top of the seventh on RBI doubles by Zukowski and senior tri-captain C Nicole Towner (Erie, Colo.). 

Junior RHP Madeline Spencer-Orrell (Northampton, Mass.) improved to 8-3 in the circle, yielding five hits and two earned runs with four walks over 4.2 innings, while rookie righty Jordan Stephan (South Orange, N.J.) recorded her second save with 2.1 scoreless innings and three K's in relief.  Holly Lallis took the loss for the Mules.  Erickson joined Zukowski as a multiple hitters for Trinity with a single, a double, two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base, while Hartnett and Lolo Niemiec had two hits apiece for the Colby offense.