Bentson Blasts Game-Tying Homer in Seventh as Softball Hosts Dowling
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 5, 2014) – Senior Kelly Bentson (Brewster, N.Y. / Brewster) blasted a game-tying home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game Two as the Mercy College softball team hosted Dowling College in an East Coast Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
Dowling came away with wins in both games to improve to 14-12 overall and 7-2 in the ECC, while Mercy is now 4-21 (1-8).
Mercy 0, Dowling 6
The Golden Lions picked up two runs in the top of the first inning. The Mavericks had a chance to strike early too as they loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the frame, but could not capitalize.
Both pitchers locked things down through the next three innings before Dowling tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth inning, and once again the Mavericks put runners on first and second base before the first out was recorded but were unable to push any across the plate. The Golden Lions added two more insurance runs in the top of the sixth to seal the 6-0 victory.
Five different Mavericks recorded hits, with senior Natalie Wabshinak (New Fairfield, Conn. / New Fairfield) going 1-for-1 to lead off the game and sophomore Milana Gilaga (Elmwood Park, N.J. / Memorial) drawing a walk and stealing a base in her only plate appearance. Senior Mary Sieber (Massapequa Park, N.Y. / Massapequa) struck out five hitters over five innings in the start while senior Brittany Serrao (Lake Hiawatha, N.J. / Parsippany) allowed just one hit over two scoreless innings in relief.
Mercy 4, Dowling 12
Game Two looked set to be a pitcher's duel as neither team could muster more than one base runner in either of the first two innings. Both teams came close to scoring in the top of the third with runners on the corners with two outs, but it would not be until the top of the fourth that Dowling lit up the scoreboard with a leadoff home run and a two-run shot later in the inning.
The Golden Lions held the 3-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth, when a double by junior Jackie Couillard (Wolcott, Conn. / Wolcott) plated junior Megan Johnson (Gilbert, Ariz. / Phoenix College) from first base to cut the deficit to two.
Dowling responded with an RBI double as well in the top of the sixth to stretch back out to a three-run margin, but Mercy pulled within one with a two-run bottom of the frame. A leadoff walk by freshman Katiana Golino (Carteret, N.J. / Carteret) and single by senior Ashley Johnstone (Bellmore, N.Y. / John F. Kennedy) put runners on first and second, allowing Golino to score on a double by senior Cristina Lisboa (Bronx, N.Y. / Saint Catherine Academy) while Johnstone was gunned down at home. Sophomore Amanda Gardiner (Stratford, N.J. / Sterling) then smacked a pinch-hit double to score Lisboa and make it a one-run game.
Freshman Anna Cochis (Clifton Park, N.Y. / Catholic Central), who had come on to relieve freshman Jordyn Moquin (Southington, Conn. / Southington) in the sixth inning and struck out the only hitter she faced, held Dowling in check in the top of the seventh despite an error allowing runners to reach first and second with one out, setting up Mercy for an opportunity to take the game to extra innings with the heart of the order at the plate.
A strikeout and infield popup quickly left the Mavericks down to their final out, but Bentson stepped up in the clutch to blast a solo home run to right field, sending the game to the eighth inning.
Unfortunately for Mercy, Dowling would explode for eight runs in the top of the eighth, thanks in part to a pair of errors, to take the game.
Wabhsinak led the Mavericks at the plate, going 2-for-5, while Couillard, Golino, Lisboa and Johnstone all reached base twice as well, going 1-for-3 with a walk apiece.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks will head to the University of Bridgeport for a makeup game on Sunday, Apr. 6 before hosting non-conference Post University on Monday, Apr. 7 at 3 p.m.
