Mercy Softball Sweeps Bridgeport 10-5, and 5-4
Mercy Softball Sweeps Bridgeport 10-5, and 5-4
Game 1 Linescore
Game 2 Linescore
The Mercy College softball team snapped a five-game losing
streak on Saturday, sweeping both ends of at doubleheader at the
University of Bridgeport, 10-5 and 5-4. Mercy (10-16; 4-10 ECC)
remains in sixth place in the East Coast Conference, while
Bridgeport (1-26; 1-10 ECC) stays in eighth place.
Game one was entertaining from the very first pitch. Mercy put
the first
three batters on base in the first inning, scoring twice.
Bridgeport then scored five runs in the bottom of the first, taking
the 5-2 lead. But Mercy's Alex
Oakes (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Lakeland) would settle
down, holding the Purple Knights in check the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, the Mercy bats kept up the pressure, scoring twice in
the second, twice more in the third, and four more times in the
fourth, en route to the 10-5 win.
In the first inning, three Mercy hits and a Bridgeport error
allowed Mercy to score twice. Sophomore Jackie Roebuck (Walden, N.Y./Chapel
Field Christian) singled to right, then advanced to second on a
passed ball. Junior Krissy Lacik (Edison,
N.J./Edison) next reached on an error and advanced to second.
Junior Paige Cauley (Stratford, N.J.)/Iona
College) then singled to drive in Roebuck before freshman Ashley Johnstone (Bellmore, N.Y./John
F. Kennedy) singled to right field, plating Lacik.
In the bottom of the first, eleven batters came to the plate for
Bridgeport, resulting in five runs scored on four hits.
In the second inning, the first three batters reached base for
Mercy, bringing Roebuck to the plate. Roebuck drew a walk, gaining
an RBI. Lacik then hit a sacrifice fly, and Mercy trailed just 5-4.
In the bottom of the frame, Bridgeport managed to put the first
two runners on base with singles, but did not score. With one out,
UB's Brittany Steiner lifted a fly ball to right, where
freshman Natalie Wabshinak (New Fairfield,
Conn./New Fairfield) made the catch and fired home, where catcher
Kim Curry (Bristol, Conn./Bristol
Central) tagged out Horton, who had tried to score on the play.
Mercy's Oakes settled down at that point, and held UB
scoreless the remainder of the game. She went the distance,
allowing ten hits and five runs, none of which were earned.
In the top of the third, after a Chelsea Methot (Bristol, Conn./Bristol
Central) single, Johnstone homered to center, giving Mercy the
lead.
The fourth inning was explosive for the Mavericks as well. The
first three batters all reached base safely, bring Johnstone up
with the bases loaded. Johnstone promptly homered for the second
time in as many at bats, this one a grand slam, pushing the lead to
10-5.
In the fifth, as luck would have it, Johnstone came up to bat
with the bases loaded again. However, she was enticed into popping
up to the short stop.
Game two was more dramatic, as Mercy scored twice in the top of
the seventh to take the 6-5 come-from-behind win.
In the top of the third, Mercy began the scoring when a Lacik
double brought Kim Curry all the way around from first for the 1-0
lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, UB finally hot their bats working,
knocking four hits, scoring two runs.
In the top of the fifth, Mercy responded with two runs.
Wabshinak and Courtney Butler (Islip,
N.Y./Islip) led off the inning by getting on base, advancing to
second and third on a sacrifice bunt. Roebuck then singled home a
run, followed by a Cauley fielder's choice that drive home
another run.
In the bottom half of the inning, UB scored two more runs,
regaining lead 4-3.
Heading into their last at bat, Mercy was in need of one run to
tie. 
Butler proved to be that potential run, leading off the inning
with a double. Lacik came to bat, and promptly drilled a two-run
homerun to left, giving the Mavericks the 6-5 lead.
In the bottom half of the seventh inning, pitcher Shanna
Hicks (Marlboro, N.Y./SUNY New Paltz) got the first
batter to ground out before allowing the next batter to walk. With
the potential tying run on first, UB's Steiner lined to
right, where Wabshinak made the play and fired to first to double
up the runner, ending the game.
Hicks upped her record to 4-8, scattering ten hits over seven
innings, allowing four runs, three of which were earned. She
allowed three walks, fanning three.
Mercy managed only seven hits; Lacik, Roebuck, and Butler each
had two, Steph Owsiany (Edison, N.J./Edison)
the other.
Mercy takes a break from the conference portion of the schedule
on Sunday, playing a doubleheader at Felician College. Games are
scheduled for one and three o'clock. The Mavericks then host
Queens (N.Y.) College on Wednesday for an ECC doubleheader,
beginning at 2:30 p.m.
