Bullock Records Team-High Three RBI as Softball Sweeps LIU Post for First Time in Program History
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Box Score 2 YAPHANK, N.Y. (Mar. 24, 2017) – Powered by a team-high three RBI on the day from freshman Destini Bullock (San Diego, Calif./Helix), the Mercy College softball team earned a doubleheader sweep over LIU Post with 2-1 and 6-4 victories in their ECC opener on Friday afternoon at Baseball Heaven.
The Mavericks (4-0, 2-0 ECC) start 2-0 in ECC play for the second straight year and sweep a doubleheader against the Pioneers (7-7, 0-2 ECC) for the first time in program history.
Game 1: Mercy 2, LIU Post 1
In a game with a combined three runs and ten hits, both teams would plate a run in the opening frame of the contest. The Mavericks got the scoring started in the top of the first as Bullock led off the game with a single. After a sacrifice from senior Janelle Wade (West Chester, Pa./Henderson), junior Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif./Southwestern CC) singled to left field to put Bullock on third. Bullock later scored in the inning to put Mercy up 1-0.
The Pioneers answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Abbey Fortin doubled home Julia Seader to make it a 1-1 game after one inning of play. Sophomore Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) continued her strong start to the season in the circle and held the Pioneers scoreless for the next two innings. This allowed the Mavericks to score the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth as junior Morgan Lloyd (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) singled home Wade after Wade led off the inning with a single, giving Mercy a 2-1 lead.
Stevens would exit the game after 5 2/3 innings pitched with only three hits allowed and five strikeouts. Sophomore McKaily Cusumano (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) shut the door on the Pioneers with 1 1/3 scoreless innings to close out the game one victory.
Lloyd went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Bullock, Wade, Lemus, Stevens and senior Katiana Golino (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) all recorded hits.
Game 2: Mercy 6, LIU Post 4
After a scoreless first inning, the Mavericks took the lead again as Bullock doubled home junior Cassidy Wootten (Ardsley, N.Y./Monroe College) to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. The Mavericks added on to their lead in the third as senior Julie Gross (Port Monmouth, N.J./Middletown North) singled home Lemus to make it 2-0.
LIU Post answered with two runs on three hits and a Mercy error to tie the game up at 2-2 after three innings. The Pioneers took their first lead of the game in the fourth inning when Megan Sneedan smacked a two-RBI single to put the home team up 4-2.
The perennial ECC power LIU Post looked to have the momentum, but the Mavericks slowly chipped at the lead. Wootten drove in Lemus with a double in the fifth to get Mercy within one, 4-3. After senior pitcher Jackie Kielty (Middleboro, Mass./Dean College) tossed two scoreless innings, the Mavericks would explode for three runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-4 lead, shocking the Pioneers in the process. Wootten led off the scoring with a double to center that brought home freshman Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) before Bullock delivered her biggest hit as a Maverick to date. The freshman singled up the middle with two outs, plating Golino and Wootten to put Mercy in front 6-4 heading to LIU Post's final at bat.
Kielty faced the opening batter in the seventh, but would give way to Cusumano who once again closed out the Pioneers to give the Mavericks the sweep.
Bullock went 4-for-5 with three RBI, Gross went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Wootten went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Kielty went 6.0 innings with four earned runs allowed to earn her second win of the season.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Pace University at 12 p.m.
