DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 28, 2019) – Powered by three hits and two RBI from sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) in game two, the Mercy College softball team dropped a 5-3 decision to Southern Connecticut State University in game one before earning a 6-3 victory in game two on Thursday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (12-10) snapped a three-game losing streak with the game two win, while the Owls (3-17) picked up their third win of the year.
Game 1: Southern Connecticut 5, Mercy 3
The Owls took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a three-run home run by Jacqueline Dumont. It remained 3-0 until the bottom of the fourth when Mercy scored a run on two hits to make it 3-1. Senior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College) doubled and senior Yazzy Jameson (San Diego, Calif./Southwestern CC) pinch ran for Gorman. Sophomore Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) singled to move Jameson to third and Jameson later scored on a wild pitch.
Mercy inched closer in the bottom of the fifth inning when they scored two more runs on two hits and an Owls error to make it 3-3. Junior Erika Byrne (San Diego, Calif./San Diego Mesa College) singled to lead off the inning and senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Freshman Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) stepped up and delivered a two-run double to right field that scored Stevens and Byrne.
Southern Connecticut State took the lead for good in the top of the seventh with two runs on three hits and two Mercy errors. The Mavericks could not score in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Owls the game one win.
Bowman went 1-for-2 with two RBI and Byrne went 2-for-4 with a run. Stevens went 1-for-3 and senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) went 1-for-3. Gorman pitched a complete game with three earned runs allowed and six strikeouts to take the loss.
Southern Connecticut was led by Jacqueline Dumont who went 1-for-4 with three RBI. Jazmyn Martinez tossed a complete game to earn the win.
Game 2: Mercy 6, Southern Connecticut 3
Southern Connecticut jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Cailey Botteon RBI single in the 2nd inning. The score stayed 1-0 until the top of the fifth when Sara Buscetto hit a two-run home run to make it 3-0.
Mercy continued to battle and responded with a big six-run inning in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-3 lead. Mueller singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a groundout moved Mueller to third, Stevens drove in Mueller with an RBI single through the left side to make it 3-1. Bowman then singled to put runners on first and second, leading to a pitching change. Junior Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas/Allen) recorded a single to left field that loaded the bases with one out. Senior Marisa Miano (Las Vegas, Nev./Colorado Mesa University) pinch hit and drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-2. After a fly out made two outs in the inning, junior Jessica Lombardi (Cliffside Park, N.J./Cliffside Park) drew another bases-loaded walk to tie the game up at 3-3. Newham produced the third bases-loaded walk of the inning to give Mercy a 4-3 lead and Mueller gave the Mavericks insurance runs with a two-run single to center field that made it 6-3.
Carmichael pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to give Mercy the game two win.
Mueller went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Newham went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Stevens went 2-for-3 with an RBI and senior Emma Gilaga (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park) went 1-for-1. Freshman Sabrina Gonzalez (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Wellington) tossed the first 5.0 innings with three runs allowed to take a no-decision. Carmichael pitched the final two innings with one hit allowed to pick up the win.
The Owls were led by Buscetto who went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Kailey Westington pitched 0.1 innings with three runs allowed to take the loss.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, March 30th when they play at Molloy at 12 p.m.
