BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Apr. 28, 2018) – Powered by a complete game victory in game one from junior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College), the Mercy College softball team earned a 7-1 victory in game one before falling 4-1 in game two to ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (28-15, 14-10 ECC) have won 14 of their last 16 games, while the Purple Knights (25-23, 12-12 ECC) have won three of their last four games. Mercy will take on Molloy on day one of the ECC Championship on Wednesday, May 2nd. The Mavericks need the Lions to lose both games to St. Thomas Aquinas tomorrow in order to host the matchup on Wednesday. If Molloy splits or wins both against the Spartans they will earn the No. 2 seed and host Mercy on day one of the double elimination championship.
Game 1: Mercy 7, Bridgeport 1
After three scoreless innings, the Mavericks put up three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. Junior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) started the scoring with an RBI triple before freshman Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) doubled to make it 2-0. Senior Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif./Southwestern CC) brought home the final run of the inning on a double that scored Mueller to bring the score to 3-0.
After Gorman held the Purple Knights scoreless in the bottom of the inning, Mercy scored three more runs in the top of the fifth to build a 6-0 advantage. Sophomore Destini Bullock (San Diego, Calif./Helix) hit a two-run double and senior Morgan Lloyd (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) brought home the final run on a sacrifice fly.
Bridgeport scored their lone run of the game in the fifth inning to get within 6-1. The Mavericks answered with a run in the top of the sixth when Lemus scored on an error by the center fielder.
Gorman finished off the Purple Knights in the seventh to give Mercy the game one win.
Bullock went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Lemus went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Newham went 2-for-5 with an RBI and Mueller went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Lloyd batted 1-for-3 with an RBI and Gorman allowed just five hits and struck out six to pick up her 11th win of the year.
Bridgeport was led by Hope Lincoln who went 1-for-1 with an RBI and Amanda Staheli went 5.0 innings with five earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Game 2: Bridgeport 4, Mercy 1
Bridgeport jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with three runs on three hits and a Mercy error. The Purple Knights tacked on a run in the third inning to make it 4-0.
Mercy plated their lone run of the game in the fifth inning when Mueller scored on an error by the catcher, bringing the score to 4-1.
The Mavericks could only get six hits in the game and could not get any closer as the Purple Knights earned the win.
Newham and Mueller both went 3-for-4 and junior Yazzy Jameson (San Diego, Calif./Southwestern CC) went 3.1 innings with four runs allowed to take the loss. Sophomore Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas/Allen) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Bridgeport was led by Yalitza Rodriguez who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Ashley Eisnor went the distance with no earned runs allowed to earn the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks conclude the regular season when they host Bloomfield on Monday, April 30th at 2:30 p.m.
