Meeks and Lemus Homer as Softball Plays at Pace
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. (Mar. 25, 2017) – Despite three Mavericks recording hits in game one and two home runs in game two, the Mercy College softball team fell, 2-1, and, 4-3, in eight innings against Pace University on Saturday afternoon at Pace Field.
The Mavericks now fall to 4-2 overall, while the Setters improve to 7-5 on the year.
Game 1: Pace 2, Mercy 1
The first three innings of game one were a back-and-forth battle between the Setters and the Mavericks, with neither team able to score due to strong fielding from both teams. Sophomore Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif. / Royal) was the first to score, after senior Janelle Wade (West Chester, Pa. / Henderson) singled to second base, bringing Stevens home to put the Mavericks on the board in the top of the third inning.
The Setters capitalized during their next at bat, scoring one run after Emily Schafer doubled to left field bringing Haley Hernandez home to record an RBI and to tie the score 1-1 in the bottom of the third. Precise pitching from Pace in the top of the fourth would result in three quick outs against the Mavericks, eliminating any scoring opportunity.
The game would remain scoreless till the bottom of the sixth inning when the Setters were able to increase the score to 2-1 when Stephanie Wang singled to center field, bringing Lindsey Ah Soon home. The Mavericks stepped to the plate one more time but were unable to score, resulting in the Setters earning the 2-1 win in game one.
Leading the Mavericks at the plate was Wade, who went 1-for-3. Stevens threw all six innings in the contest, recording two strikeouts and scored the lone run for the Mavericks.
The Setters had six different people record one it. In the circle for Pace was Kaitlynn Nelson, who threw seven innings for the Setters and struck out four Mavericks for the win.
Game 2: Pace 4, Mercy 3
The Mavericks put up a solid fight in game two of the doubleheader, battling it out into extra innings with the Setters. Despite two Mavericks recording home runs, Mercy was not able to come out with the victory in game two.
Junior Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif. / Southwestern CC) led the Mavericks with two hits and one RBI in game two, scoring one run. Freshman Kendall Meeks (Guysville, Ohio / Alexander) also was a force at the plate for Mercy, recording a home run, one run scored, and two RBI. Hernandez, Ah Soon, and Wang all recorded one hit, one run scored, and one RBI for the Setters.
The Mavericks got off to a slow start offensively, when the Setters were able to record three runs by the bottom of the fourth inning compared to the Mavericks zero. It wasn't until the top of the sixth inning that the Mavericks were able to get on the board, when Lemus nailed a homer to left center field to make the score 3-1.
Three quick outs from the Mercy defense in the bottom of the sixth inning would put the Mavericks back in scoring opportunity. It was the top of the seventh inning that the Mavericks were able to get back in the game. It was then that Meeks blasted a two-run home run to right field, bringing freshman Breanna Wheeler (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) home and making the score 3-3. The Mavericks were ready for action when they made three quick outs to get back up to bat for the top of the eighth inning.
A tough Setters defense would not allow for any scoring opportunity for the Mavericks. Mercy eventually fell to the Setters in the bottom of the eighth inning when Hernandez homered to left center field for the 4-3 victory.
Senior Jackie Kielty (Middleboro, Mass. / Dean College) threw 3.1 innings for the Mavericks and struck out two batters. Freshman Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas / Allen) threw the remaining 4.0, striking out one Setter. For Pace, Jaclyn Flores threw all eight innings.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks will travel to Goldey-Beacom tomorrow, Sunday Mar. 26 for a non-conference doubleheader. Games are set to start at 1:00 and 3:00 pm
