Salisbury Records a Pair of Walk-Off Hits to Give Softball a Sweep of St. Thomas Aquinas on Senior Day
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 17, 2016) – Powered by a pair of walk-off hits from freshman Joelle Salisbury (Rotterdam, N.Y./Notre Dame/Bishop Gibbons), the Mercy College softball team celebrated Senior Day with a doubleheader sweep of ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday afternoon at Smith Field. The Mavericks took the opener, 3-2, in nine innings before earning a 5-3 victory in the nightcap.
In a ceremony prior to the game, seniors Milana Gilaga (Elmwood Park, N.J./Memorial), Alyssa Gutierrez (Tucson, Ariz./South Mountain CC), Amanda Gardiner (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) and Stephanie Kirgan (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) were recognized for the careers as Mavericks.
The Mavericks (19-25, 9-15 ECC) bounce back from their losses to Dowling yesterday, while the Spartans (12-25, 7-15 ECC) have dropped six in a row.
Game 1: Mercy 3, St. Thomas Aquinas 2 (9 Innings)
A pitcher's duel broke out in the opener as the two teams combined for just 14 hits and five runs in nine innings. Freshman McKaily Cusumano (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) made the start for the Mavericks and went the distance with two earned runs allowed and seven strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 7-7.
However, the visitors opened the scoring on the day with a run in the top of the first as Amanda Leone singled home Kelcy McGeehan to make it 1-0. Gilana responded with a leadoff single in the bottom half of the inning and got to third with one out, but was left stranded.
The Spartans would make it 2-0 in the top of the third as they put together two hits and used a Mercy error to increase their lead. Mercy came right back in their half of the third as Gilaga tripled down the left field line to score sophomore Chelsea Konyar (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), making it 2-1 after three.
After Cusumano retired the St. Thomas Aquinas side in order, Mercy tied up the game in the bottom of the fourth as junior Janelle Wade (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) singled home junior Katiana Golino (Carteret, N.J./Carteret), making it 2-2.
The two starters settled down and did not allow a hit until Kirgan singled to right field in the sixth, but was left at first. Neither team could score in the seventh so the teams went into extra innings. After a scoreless eighth, Cusumano allowed her first hit since the third inning, but would escape a runners on second and third jam to keep the score tied at 2-2.
Freshman Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) started the rally in the bottom of the ninth for Mercy with a leadoff double to left field. After a sacrifice bunt from Kirgan moved Stevens to third, Salisbury came up in a pinch hitting situation and delivered a single to right field to score the game-winning run.
Gilaga went 2-for-4 in the opener to the lead the Mavericks at the plate. Julie Sosnicki went the distance for the Spartans with three earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Game 2: Mercy 5, St. Thomas Aquinas 3
The second game saw the Mavericks fall behind before scoring four runs in the last two innings to take the sweep. The visitors scored again in the opening inning on a Danielle DiModugno RBI single to right center, making it 1-0. The lead did not last long as Gilaga continued her strong play on senior day with a leadoff inside-the-park home run down the left field, making it 1-1 after one inning of play.
The score remained 1-1 until the top of the fifth when Brittany Malloy drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead. The Mavericks responded in the sixth with two runs to take their first lead of the game, 3-2. Kirgan delivered the game-tying RBI single to right field, scoring Salisbury who singled earlier in the inning. Mercy plated one more run in the inning off an error to have a one-run lead heading into the final inning.
The Mavericks looked to be on their way to the sweep, but the Spartans would delay the victory as they tied the game up on an RBI double from Malloy. After taking game one in walk-off fashion, the Mavericks looked to do it again in game two. However, after two consecutive outs extra innings looked like a distinct possibility. Gardiner would then reach base on an error by the Spartans shortstop, leading to Salisbury coming to the plate. Salisbury came through again as she smashed a home run over the right center field fence to give Mercy another walk-off win and the sweep.
Salisbury went 2-for-4 in game two, while junior Julie Gross (Port Monmouth, N.J./Middletown North) and Stevens both batted 2-for-3. Stevens tossed a complete game with three earned runs allowed and eight strikeouts to post the victory.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, April 19th at NYIT in a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m.
