BANGOR, Maine –  For the second day in a row, the MIT softball team fell behind 2-0 early in the game, but the Engineers rallied, using four RBI from Arianna Kumar and three from Layla Thiessen to defeat Endicott 9-3 in the NCAA Bangor Regional at Robert & Frances O'Keefe Softball Field on the campus of Husson University.  

MIT needs to win just one game tomorrow to advance to the program's fourth NCAA Super Regional and the first since 2023.  

Mia Mitchell led off the bottom of the first with a single, but Emily Watson got the next two Gulls to pop out. Maddie Beeley then took an 0-1 pitch over the leftfield fence to give Endicott a 2-0 lead. 

The Engineers loaded the bases with two outs and Layla Thiessen singled to center to plate Maggie Feng and Olivia Scarpaci to tie the game. Kumar then cleared the bases with a double to right center to put MIT up 5-2. 

Thiessen singled to left in the third to plate Feng with the sixth run of the day for the Engineers. 

Mia Mitchell and Addy McClaflin hit back-to-back singles and Kylyn McLaren followed with a walk to load the bases with one out. A fielder's choice got the Gulls to 6-3, but Ella Tower grounded out to Ava Ladd at third to end the inning. 

Kumar doubled home another run in the sixth to make it a 7-3 MIT lead and Holland Poe followed with a two-run double to give the Engineers a six-run advantage.  

After a Beeley single to lead off the bottom of the sixth, Sharona Huang got Ella Tower swinging for the first out. After a fielder's choice got Elyse Saccoccio on base, she was thrown out trying to steal by Scarpaci to end the inning. 

A 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, capped by a strikeout of Kyla Story, secured the win for MIT. 

Watson went the first 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with a strikeout. Huang improves to 17-5 as she tossed 4.2 innings of one-hit ball with two walks and four Ks.  

Kumar went 2-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Thiessen went 2-4 from the leadoff spot with three RBI and a stolen base. Benevides also had two hits for MIT as the Engineers out-hit Endicott 11-5. 

Mitchell and Beeley each had two hits for the Gulls. 

MIT will take on Colby in the Regional Championship tomorrow, Saturday, May 16, beginning at 11:00 AM. The Engineers need to win just one game to advance to next week's Super Regionals.  

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 13 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Saint Anselm College (beginning reclassification process with NCAA in 2027-28), Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 21 sports.