ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Mar. 30, 2019) – Powered by a complete-game shutout from senior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College) in game one, the Mercy College softball team earned a 4-0 victory over ECC foe Molloy College in game one before falling 5-4 in the second game on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (13-11, 1-3 ECC) pick up their first ECC win of the year, while the Lions (10-15, 1-1 ECC) open up ECC play with a split.
Game 1: Mercy 4, Molloy 0
A pitcher's duel broke out in the opening game between Gorman and Courtney Greene. The game remained 0-0 until the top of the seventh when Mercy scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) led off the inning with a triple to right center before sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on first and third. Freshman Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) singled on a bunt to load the bases before senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) drew a bases-loaded walk to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. Freshman Jessica Brandt (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) pinch hit and delivered a two-run single through the left side that scored Crawford and Mueller to give the Mavericks a 3-0 lead. Junior Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) brought home the final run of the inning after reaching on an error by the shortstop, which allowed Stevens to score to make it 4-0.
Gorman surrendered one of her four hits in the bottom of the seventh, but the runner was left stranded at first to give Mercy the game one win.
Newham and Mueller went 2-for-4 with a run and Brandt went 1-for-1 with two RBI. Crawford went 1-for-2 and Gorman went 1-for-4 at the plate. Gorman allowed just four hits and struck out four to pick up her third win of the year.
Molloy was led by Mikaela Tribby who went 2-for-3. Greene allowed four earned runs to take the loss.
Game 2: Molloy 5, Mercy 4
Molloy struck first in game two on a Greene two-run single in the bottom of the first that made it 2-0 after one inning. The Lions struck again in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead on a Greene RBI single through the right side.
Mercy answered back in the top of the third with three runs to tie the game up at 3-3. The Mavericks used three errors by the Lions and hits from Crawford and Mueller to make it a 3-3 game.
The Mavericks took their first lead of the game in the top of the fourth when Handegard homered to left field to make it 4-3. Greene later tied the game up at 4-4 in the fifth inning on a home run to right field.
Molloy loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and Tara Byrnes drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the winning run for the Lions.
Mueller went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Crawford went 2-for-4. Handegard went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Stevens allowed three earned runs in 6.2 innings to take the loss.
Molloy was led by Greene who went 3-for-3 with four RBI. Jenna Turato pitched a complete game with one earned run allowed to pick up the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Post at 12:30 p.m.
