BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 4, 2018) – Despite a team-high five hits on the day from junior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) and a team-high two RBI from freshman Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista), the Mercy College softball team dropped a 3-2 decision in nine innings to LIU Post in Game Three of the ECC Championship before being eliminated from the tournament with an 8-5 setback in eight innings to Molloy College on Friday afternoon at LIU Post.
The Mavericks (31-17) end their season with two straight losses and will await a possible NCAA Tournament berth. LIU Post (34-16) will face Molloy (29-24) in the championship game tomorrow at 12 p.m. needing just one win to earn the championship.
Game 1: LIU Post 3, Mercy 2
LIU Post jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Leah Mele hit a two-run single through the left side to put the Pioneers on the board.
It remained 2-0 until the top of the seventh inning when the Mavericks plated two runs to tie the game up at 2-2. Mueller started the scoring with an RBI single through the left side and senior Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif./Southwestern CC) tied the game up with an RBI single to second base. LIU Post was unable to break the tie in the bottom of the inning sending the game into extra innings.
LIU Post ended the game in the ninth inning when Allie Laird led off the inning with a double to left field. A sacrifice bunt moved her over to third before Ashley Casazza singled to shortstop to bring home Laird, giving the Pioneers the win.
Mueller went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Lemus went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Stevens went 8.1 innings with three runs allowed to take the loss.
LIU Post was led by Mele who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Katie Humhej went the distance with one earned run allowed to pick up the win.
Game 2: Molloy 8, Mercy 5
Just like they did on Wednesday, the Lions jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a Brianna Dalton three-run home run after back-to-back singles.
It remained 3-0 until the fifth inning when the Mavericks tied things up at 3-3 with three runs on four hits and two errors. Mueller brought home the first run on an RBI single up the middle that scored sophomore Jessica Lombardi (Cliffside Park, N.J./Cliffside Park). After a strikeout, Stevens singled and advanced to third on two errors and two runs would score due to the errors, tying the game up at 3-3.
Neither team could score in the sixth or seventh innings sending the game into extra innings. The Mavericks broke through in the top of the eighth with two runs to build a 5-3 lead. Senior Cassidy Wootten (Ardsley, N.Y./Monroe College) singled to lead off the inning and would later score on an attempted double steal that led to the runner being thrown out at second. Junior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) plated the final run on a single to shortstop that scored freshman Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) who tripled in the previous at bat.
After sophomore Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas/Allen) retired the first batter in the Molloy eighth inning, the Lions drew two straight walks to put runners on first and second. Kaitlyn Snyder followed with a double to score a run getting the Lions to within 5-4. A groundout followed giving Mercy two outs. A walk of Dalton would load the bases before Courtney Greene hit a grand slam to right field on a 1-0 pitch to give Molloy a walk-off win.
Stevens went 4-for-4 and Newham went 1-for-5 with an RBI. Mueller went 1-for-5 with an RBI and sophomore Destini Bullock (San Diego, Calif./Helix) went 3-for-4. Junior Yazzy Jameson (San Diego, Calif./Southwestern CC) pitched the first four innings with three runs allowed to take a no-decision. Carmichael pitched 3.2 innings with five runs allowed to take the loss.
Molloy was led by Greene who went 1-for-5 with four RBI and Dalton went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Tonianne Larson pitched five innings in relief with three earned runs allowed to pick up the win.
