CLERMONT, Fla. (Mar. 12, 2018) – Powered by a team-high two home runs and three RBI on the day from senior Cassidy Wootten (Ardsley, N.Y./Monroe College), the Mercy College softball team defeated Saint Michael's College 6-4 before falling to Southern New Hampshire University 8-1 on Monday afternoon.
The Mavericks (7-4) see their season-high four game winning streak come to an end, while the Purple Knights (2-4) have dropped two games in a row and the Penmen (11-0) remain unbeaten.
Game 1: Mercy 6, Saint Michael's 4
The first game of the day saw the Mavericks open the scoring with sophomore Destini Bullock (San Diego, Calif./Helix) smacking a solo home run to put Mercy up 1-0 in the top of the second. Saint Michael's plated a run in the bottom of the third to make it 1-1 after three innings of play.
The Mavericks took the lead for good in the fourth inning when Wootten led off the inning with a solo home run to put Mercy ahead 2-1. The score stayed at 2-1 until the top of the sixth when the Mavericks put two runs on the board to take a 4- 1 lead. Junior Mackenzie Dunlop (Surrey, British Columbia/West Virginia State University) delivered a two-run single that scored runs to give Mercy some cushion.
The Purple Knights answered right back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to get within 4-3. The Mavericks added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh to build a 6-3 advantage as Wootten homered again and Bullock scored on an error.
Saint Michael's scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 6-4 but could not get any closer as the Mavericks held on for the win.
Wootten went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs and sophomore Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Dunlop went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Bullock went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Junior Yazzy Jameson (San Diego, Calif./Southwestern CC) made the start in the circle and went the first five innings with one run allowed to earn the win. Junior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) pitched the final two innings to earn the save.
Saint Michael's was led by Danielle Markowski who batted 2-for-4 with two RBI. Danielle Brown went the distance in the circle and gave up four earned runs to take the loss.
Game 2: Southern New Hampshire 8, Mercy 1
The Mavericks jumped out to an early lead in the nightcap with Wootten driving in junior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) who led off the game with a single to make it 1-0. The Penmen answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead.
It remained 2-1 until the fifth inning when Southern New Hampshire scored two runs to build a 4-1 margin. The Penmen put the game away with four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-1 lead and would hold the Mavericks to just five hits in securing the win.
Newham batted 2-for-4 with a run scored and Bullock went 2-for-3. Senior Baylee McCormick (Las Vegas, Nev./Indian Springs) went 1-for-2 and Stevens went the first four innings with no earned runs allowed to take the loss.
The Penmen were led by Jordan Wade who went 1-for-2 with two RBI and Maddy Barone went the distance in the circle with no earned runs allowed to earn the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, March 20th when they play at Pace at 3 p.m.
