Wootten and Meeks Record Three RBI Apiece in Game Two to Lead Softball to Doubleheader Split With Queens
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Box Score 2 YAPHANK, N.Y. (Mar. 29, 2017) – Powered by three RBI in game two from both junior Cassidy Wootten (Ardsley, N.Y./Monroe College) and freshman Kendall Meeks (Guysville, Ohio/Alexander), the Mercy College softball team earned a doubleheader split with ECC foe Queens College on Wednesday afternoon at Baseball Heaven. The Mavericks dropped the opener 1-0 before taking a 15-2 decision in five innings in the nightcap.
The Mavericks (7-3, 3-1 ECC) have now won three of their last four games, while the Knights (4-2, 1-1 ECC) begin ECC play with a split.
Game 1: Queens 1, Mercy 0
A pitcher's duel broke out in the opening game of the day as each team recorded just four hits and the Knights scored the game's lone run in the sixth inning to earn the win.
Mercy starter Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) and Queens starter ToniMarie Valeriano both tossed five scoreless innings to begin the contest before the Knights finally plated a run in the sixth. After Nicole Michaels led off the inning with a single, Stevianne Ognibene later brought Michaels home with a double to center field to make it 1-0.
The Mavericks went down in order in the sixth and put runners on first and third in the seventh, but could not score as the Knights held on for the victory.
Junior Morgan Lloyd (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) went 2-for-3 and senior Janelle Wade (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) batted 1-for-3. Junior Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif./Southwestern CC) went 1-for-4 and Stevens went the distance with four hits allowed and eight strikeouts.
Ognibene went 1-for-3 with an RBI for Queens and Valeriano struck out six to earn the game one victory.
Game 2: Mercy 15, Queens 2
The nightcap saw the Mavericks offense breakout with 12 hits and 15 runs to salvage a split as senior Jackie Kielty (Middleboro, Mass./Dean College) allowed no earned runs in the circle.
The Knights scored both of their runs in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Mercy responded in the bottom half of the inning with seven runs to take a commanding 7-2 lead after one inning. Wootten recorded an RBI single in the inning that put the Mavericks ahead 3-2. Meeks later brought home Wootten with an RBI single to the pitcher before junior Baylee McCormick (Las Vegas, Nev./Indian Springs) plated the fifth run of the inning on a groundout to the shortstop. Lemus concluded the scoring in the inning with a triple to right center that scored two runs.
After Kielty tossed a scoreless second inning, the Mavericks continued to go to work offensively as they scored four more run in the second to build an 11-2 lead. Junior Allie Pellizzaro (Victoria, British Columbia/Eastern Arizona CC) started the scoring off with a single to shortstop that allowed Lloyd to score. Meeks continued her hot hitting and followed with a two-RBI double to right center that scored Pellizzaro and Wootten to make it 10-2. McCormick finished off the rally with an RBI single to right field that scored Meeks.
Mercy would finish off the game in the fourth as they plated four more runs to bring the score to 15-2 after four innings. Lloyd recorded an RBI in the inning and Wootten scored two more with a two-RBI single to the left side. Sophomore McKaily Cusumano (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) came in and pitched a scoreless top of the fifth to give the Mavericks a 15-2 win via the run-rule.
Wootten went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored and Meeks went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. McCormick went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Lemus went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Lloyd went 2-for-2 with three runs and an RBI and Wade went 2-for-4 with two runs. Kielty went four innings with five hits allowed and three strikeouts to improve to 3-0.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Chestnut Hill at 3 p.m.
