Mercy Softball Makes Major Strides
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Jessica Madick |
2008 Season Review
DOBBS FERRY, NY - The Mercy College softball team enjoyed a level of success this season that it had not seen for quite some time. The Mavericks won nine games, some of which were in dominant fashion and a strong freshman class contributed from game one.
Freshman Chelsea Methot (Bristol, CT) led the team in many offensive categories, including average (.362, 8th in ECC), hits (42), runs (20), RBI (18) and on base percentage (.403). She was one of six Mavericks to start and play in every game this season and earned an East Coast Conference (ECC) Rookie of the Week honor.
Freshman Alicia Martin (Massapequa, NY) showed some power as she was second in extra base hits (10) and RBI (16), and also picked up an ECC Rookie of the Week award.
Freshman Kim Curry (Bristol, CT) proved to be very versatile, playing at both second and third base. She also hit .286 with 10 RBI and 13 runs scored.
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Chelsea Methot |
Upperclassmen made strong contributions as well. Senior Jessica Madick (Tarzana, CA) batted .315 with two home runs and 13 RBI. She also threw four complete games in the pitcher's circle and earned two victories. Sophomore Stephanie Pereyo (Southington, CT) earned three victories and posted a team-leading 17 complete games (6th in ECC) with two shutouts, while classmate Samantha LaBella (Mamaroneck, NY) led the squad with four wins.
After a slow start in the first five outings, the Mavericks showed their resiliency by taking three games in Cocoa Beach, FL. First, LaBella shutout Grinnell College on three hits and was backed with nine runs. She helped her own cause by going 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. Freshman Jessica Kowalski (Melville, NY) chipped in with one hit, two RBI and two runs scored.
Next the Mavericks took on Mount St. Mary's and beat them (6-5) with a six-run sixth inning after trailing 3-0. Freshman Amanda McPhee (Bristol, CT) was 2-for-4, while Martin and junior Jessica Davidson (Valhalla, NY) knocked in a pair and scored a run.
Continuing its Florida trip, the Mavericks shutout Centenary College 9-0. Pereyo pitched a complete game three-hit shutout and six Mavericks had a multi-hit game. Madick went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. McPhee, Curry, Methot, and freshmen Catherine Kowalski (Melville, NY) and Stephanie Owsiany (Edison, NJ) all had two hits.
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Samantha LaBella |
A few games later, Mercy became a well-oiled hitting machine against Fisher College. The Mavericks scored seven runs in the first inning, five in the second and six in the third frame en route to an 18-1 victory. Methot went 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Martin was 1-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, as she had a bases clearing triple in the second inning.
After dropping the final game of the Florida trip to Farmingdale College in extra innings, the Mavericks came home and swept a doubleheader from ECC opponent Dowling College. Pereyo pitched a complete game, allowing only two runs in game one as the Mavericks picked up the win 3-2. In game two, Mercy scored in four of the six innings played with a four-run inning in the third. Catherine Kowalski went 2-for-4 with one RBI and a run scored.
The Mavericks dropped a number of close games to strong conference opponents, and then took on Nyack College in a doubleheader. Mercy fell in the first game, 5-4, but came out swinging in game two as the Mavericks won 8-0. Martin had a big day with two hits and two runs scored.
In the final non-conference showdown of the season, Mercy took on Briarcliffe College in a doubleheader. Mercy scored in every inning but one, and got a solid pitching performance from LaBella to pick up the win (11-3) in the opener. In game two, LaBella picked up another victory with a complete game two-hit shutout (nine strikeouts) as the Mavericks went on for the sweep with a 2-0 win.
Mercy fell in their final three conference doubleheaders, but with a nine-game improvement and major strides taken, the Mavericks are poised to become a strong competitor in the ECC next season.
