Couillard Belts Team-Leading Sixth Homer as Softball Faces Rival Bridgeport
Box Score BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Apr. 6, 2014) – Junior Jackie Couillard (Wolcott, Conn. / Wolcott) belted her team-leading sixth home run of the season as the Mercy College softball team faced East Coast Conference rival the University of Bridgeport in a makeup game from last week on Sunday afternoon.
Mercy took an early lead and held it through the sixth inning, but Bridgeport pipped the win to improve to 11-17 overall and 6-6 in the ECC, while Mercy is now 4-22 (1-9).
Senior Natalie Wabshinak (New Fairfield, Conn. / New Fairfield) led off the game with a walk and came around to score on a single by junior Megan Johnson (Gilbert, Ariz. / Phoenix College). Couillard then stepped up with runners on first and second base and blasted a three-run shot to left field, giving the Mavericks a 4-0 lead before a single out could be recorded.
The Purple Knights responded immediately, scoring three runs of their own before the first out was recorded in the bottom of the frame. Mercy's bats had plenty left in them, however, as they tacked on two more runs in the top of the second inning to make it a 6-3 game.
Bridgeport struck again for two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a two-RBI single and both pitchers locked things down from there, with neither allowing a single hit over the next two innings.
The Purple Knights would score three runs via small ball in the bottom of the sixth inning, however, to take the 8-6 lead. Wabshinak once again reached base to lead off the top of the seventh inning and advanced to third on a pair of groundouts, but Mercy was unable to rally.
Wabshinak paced the Mavericks at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, one run and one RBI while senior Kelly Bentson (Brewster, N.Y. / Brewster) smacked the Mavericks' only other extra base hit, going 1-for-3 with a double. Senior Cristina Lisboa (Bronx, N.Y. / Saint Catherine Academy) drew a walk and score a run in her only plate appearance.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks will continue their stretch of 15 games over eight days as they host Post University on Monday, Apr. 7 at 3 p.m.
