Wabshinak, Bentson Record Six Hits Apiece as Softball Sweeps ECC Rival STAC
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SPARKILL, N.Y. (Apr. 13, 2014) – Seniors Natalie Wabshinak (New Fairfield, Conn. / New Fairfield) and senior Kelly Bentson (Brewster, N.Y. / Brewster) recorded six hits apiece, including a pair of perfect 4-for-4 efforts, as the Mercy College softball team swept a doubleheader at cross-river East Coast Conference rival St. Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday afternoon.
Mercy improves to 9-26 overall and 5-13 in the ECC while STAC is now 2-24 (1-15).
Mercy 12, STAC 3
Wabshinak set the tone immediately with a leadoff ground-rule double and the Mavericks were off, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
STAC picked up one run in the bottom of the third thanks to an error to start the frame, but Mercy immediately responded as Wabshinak blasted a two-run homer to go up by four at 5-1. The Spartans had one last push left in them as they mustered two more runs, again on an error, in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Mavericks answered again with five runs in the top of the sixth and added two more to put the game out of reach in the seventh.
Every member of the Mavericks' starting lineup reached base, with six posting multi-hit games and five recording three hits. Junior Jackie Couillard (Wolcott, Conn. / Wolcott) reached base four times, going 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs and one RBI while Wabshinake, seniorAshley Johnstone (Bellmore, N.Y. / John F. Kennedy), Bentson and freshman Katiana Golino (Carteret, N.J. / Carteret) each recorded three hits and combined for seven runs and seven RBI.
Senior Mary Sieber (Massapequa Park, N.Y. / Massapequa) pitched three no-hit innings in the start while freshman Jordyn Moquin (Southington, Conn. / Southington) did not surrender an earned run over three innings in relief and senior Jessica Simpson (Gilbert, Ariz. / Bakersfield CC) tossed a clean frame to end the game.
Mercy 9, STAC 1 (6 inn.)
Wabshinak started off Game Two the right way again, leading off with a single and quickly coming around to score on a double by Couillard. Bentson singled Couillard home and the Mavericks were off to the races, tacking on another run in the second inning and two more in each of the third and fourth innings.
STAC picked up its only run in the bottom of the third to cut the Mercy lead to 5-1, but the Mavericks tacked on the final two runs needed in the top of the sixth to run-rule the game.
Wabshinak and Bentson were perfect at the plate as each went 4-for-4, with Wabshinak scoring once and driving in a run while Bentson recorded two RBI. Junior Megan Johnson (Gilbert, Ariz. / Phoenix College) mashed as well, going 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI on a home run and double, while Couillard was also 2-for-4, including a double, with two runs and one RBI. Senior Brittany Serrao (Lake Hiawatha, N.J. / Parsippany) surrendered just one earned run over three innings in the start while freshman Anna Cochis (Clifton Park, N.Y. / Catholic Central) struck out two and allowed just one hit over three innings in relief.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks will continue their crucial ECC slate as they host the University of Bridgeport (16-20, 9-9) in a doubleheader on Tuesday, Apr. 15 at 2:30 p.m.
