FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 17, 2018) – Despite a home run from sophomore Destini Bullock (San Diego, Calif./Helix) in game two of the day, the Mercy College softball team dropped a 2-0 decision to Chowan University and an 11-5 decision to Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday afternoon at the FMU Softball Stadium.
The Mavericks (2-2) fall to .500 on the year, while Chowan (4-5) dropped their other game to Francis Marion. Queens (10-2) has now won four games in a row.
Game 1: Chowan 2, Mercy 0
The opening game of the day saw both runs scored by Chowan in the bottom of the first inning. After a pair of walks and a wild pitch, Brittany Parson drove home two runs on a double down the left field line that made the score 2-0. Junior starter Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) would settle down and toss three scoreless innings and junior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College) would toss a pair of scoreless innings to keep it 2-0.
The Mavericks could only muster three hits in the game and would place runners on first and second with one out in the seventh after senior Morgan Lloyd (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) singled and senior Allie Pellizzaro (Victoria, British Columbia/Eastern Arizona CC) was hit by a pitch. However, a pair of strikeouts would end the threat and the game.
Stevens went 4.0 innings in the circle with two earned runs allowed and four strikeouts and went 1-for-2 at the plate. Lloyd batted 1-for-3 and Pellizzaro went 1-for-2.
Shelby Griffis went the distance for Chowan with just three hits allowed and five strikeouts to earn the win.
Game 2: Queens 11, Mercy 5
After a scoreless first inning in the second game, the Mavericks exploded for four runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead. Bullock got the scoring started with a two-run home run after Lloyd singled in the previous at bat. Sophomore Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) singled in the next at bat and would advance to second on a Breanna Wheeler (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) sacrifice bunt. Junior Mackenzie Dunlop (Surrey, British Columbia/West Virginia State University) then reached on an error and stole second putting runners on second and third for junior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College). Newham would deliver a two-run double down the left field line to give Mercy a 4-0 lead.
Queens responded with five runs on three hits in the top of the third to take a 5-4 lead. The Royals would add on three more runs in the fourth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh to take an 11-4 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Stevens recorded a single in the seventh and would be pinch ran for by freshman Bailee Nunes (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln). Nunes would come around to score following a Handegard double through the left side that made it 11-5. However, the rally would come to an end with a strikeout and Queens would emerge victorious.
Bullock went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a home run and Handegard went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Newham went 1-for-3 with two RBI and freshman Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) went 2-for-4. Junior Yazzy Jameson (San Diego, Calif./Southwestern CC) made the start in the circle and went three innings with seven earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Queens was led by Abby Lathan who had a game-high three RBI. Shannon McGuire pitched five innings out of the bullpen to earn the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they take on Chowan at 10 a.m. and Francis Marion at 12 p.m. at Francis Marion.
