CLERMONT, Fla. (Mar. 3, 2019) – Powered by a perfect 8-for-8 day at the plate and three RBI from sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista), the Mercy College softball team opened up its Florida trip with a 9-1 win over Stonehill College and a 6-4 victory over Seton Hill University on Sunday.
The Mavericks (4-2) move over .500 on the year, while the Skyhawks (1-1) and Griffins (3-1) suffer their first losses of the season.
Game 1: Mercy 9, Stonehill 1
Mercy jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Mueller scored on an error after singling earlier in the inning. After a scoreless second inning, Mercy added a run in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) reached on an error and advanced to second on the error. Junior Jessica Lombardi (Cliffside Park, N.J./Cliffside Park) pinch ran for the Mavericks and would later score on an Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) sacrifice fly.
The Skyhawks scored their lone run of the game in the fourth inning to make it 2-1.
Mercy exploded for four runs on five hits in the fifth inning to build a 6-1 lead. Handegard started the rally with a double and came around to score on a Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) double. Senior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College) followed with an RBI double to bring home Akers. Gorman scored later in the inning on an error and Mueller brought home the final run of the inning with a triple.
The Mavericks tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the game via the run-rule. Freshman Jessica Brandt (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) scored on a passed ball and senior Yazzy Jameson (San Diego, Calif./Southwestern CC) brought home Handegard with an RBI groundout. Akers scored the final run of the game on a steal of home to give Mercy the win.
Mueller went 4-for-4 with an RBI and Handegard went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Akers went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Jameson went 1-for-3 with an RBI and picked up the win in the circle with a complete game. Senior Marisa Miano (Las Vegas, Nev./Colorado Mesa University) went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Stonehill was led by Sophie Perez who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Genna Hartman 4.1 innings to take the loss.
Game 2: Mercy 6, Seton Hill 4
After a scoreless first inning, the Griffins got on the board first in the bottom of the second with three runs. It remained 3-0 in favor of Seton Hill until the top of the fifth when the Mavericks plated a run to make it 3-1. Handegard singled to start the rally and later scored following two Griffin errors.
Following a scoreless inning in the circle from Stevens, the Mavericks tied the game up in the top of the sixth with two runs. Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) walked and advanced to second after a Mueller single. Newham and Mueller moved into scoring position after an Erika Byrne (San Diego, Calif./San Diego Mesa College) groundout. After a fly out, freshman Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) hit a two-run single that scored Mueller and Newham to tie the game up at 3-3.
Mercy took the lead in the top of the seventh with three runs. Akers doubled to lead off the inning and came around to score following a Miano double. Mueller later delivered a two-run double that scored freshman Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) and Miano to make it 6-3.
Seton Hill scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but could not get any closer giving Mercy the win.
Mueller went 4-for-4 with two RBI and Bowman went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Miano went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Stevens tossed a complete game with four runs allowed to earn the win.
Seton Hill was led by Abbie Thrower who went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Skyla Greco tossed a complete game to take the loss.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Walsh and Gannon starting at 1:30 p.m.
