FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 15, 2019) – Powered by six RBI and a grand slam from junior Erika Byrne (San Diego, Calif./San Diego Mesa College) in the first game of the day, the Mercy College softball team earned a, 9-4, victory over Chowan University in their season opener before falling, 16-6, to host Francis Marion University on Friday afternoon at FMU Softball Stadium.

The Mavericks (1-1) win their season opener for the third straight year, while Chowan (1-8) has lost five in a row and Francis Marion (6-3) moves three games over .500.

Game 1: Mercy 9, Chowan 4

The Hawks broke through with the game's first run in the top of the first on a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead. Mercy answered back in the bottom of the inning with two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) walked and Byrne singled to put runners on first and second. Senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) then doubled to bring home Mueller and put Byrne on third. Freshman Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to put Mercy up 2-1.

After Stevens set the Hawks down in order, Mercy exploded for four runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead. Junior Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) singled and was moved over to second by a Marisa Miano (Las Vegas, Nev./Colorado Mesa University) sacrifice bunt. Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) then singled and Mueller reached on an error to load the bases. Byrne then hit a grand slam to left center in her first game as a Maverick to give Mercy a five-run lead.

Following a scoreless third inning, Chowan scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 6-2. The Mavericks responded right back in the bottom half of the inning with two more runs to increase their lead to 8-2. Byrne doubled home another run and Stevens singled home the second run of the inning.

Byrne drove in her sixth run of the game in the sixth inning when she singled home Newham who led off the inning with a single. Chowan scored two more runs in the top of the seventh but it was not enough giving Mercy the victory.

Byrne went 4-for-4 with three runs and six RBI and Stevens went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Newham batted 3-for-4 with three runs and Handegard went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Stevens pitched four innings with two runs allowed to earn the win and junior Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas/Allen) tossed two scoreless innings of relief.

Chowan was led by Jesse Gentry who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Emarae Flores went the distance in the circle and allowed five earned runs to take the loss.

Game 2: Francis Marion 16, Mercy 6

Mercy continued to swing the bats well to start the nightcap, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Freshman Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) drove home two runs with a single up the middle, scoring Mueller and Newham to give the Mavericks an early lead.

Francis Marion came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game up at 2-2. After a scoreless top of the second for Mercy, the Patriots responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-2 lead.

It remained 5-2 until the top of the fourth when Byrne doubled home Newham who singled earlier in the inning to make it 5-3. Stevens continued to swing a hot bat and doubled home both Byrne and Mueller to tie the game up at 5-5. Francis Marion came back with 11 runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 16-5 lead after four innings.

Mercy scored off a Patriot error in the fifth inning, but it was not enough as Francis Marion won via the run rule.

Stevens went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Ricci went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Byrne went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Newham and Mueller both had two hits and two runs. Stevens pitched 1.2 innings with four earned runs allowed to take the loss.

Francis Marion was led by Janecia Hemingway who went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI and tossed a complete game in the circle to earn the win.

Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they take on Emmanuel and Francis Marion at 3 & 5 p.m.