DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 10, 2019) – Powered by a walk-off home run in game one from freshman Jordan DiGiacinto (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral), the Mercy College softball team earned a 7-6 victory over Pace University in game one before falling 6-3 in game two on Wednesday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (18-16) earn a split in their third straight doubleheader, while the Setters (9-16) have won three of their last four games.
Game 1: Mercy 7, Pace 6
After a scoreless top of the first, Mercy scored two runs on a hit to take a 2-0 lead after one inning of play. DiGiacinto was hit by a pitch and senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) walked to put runners on first and second. Freshman Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) also walked to load the bases before freshman Jessica Brandt (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) singled to center field to bring home Stevens and DiGiacinto, giving Mercy an early 2-0 lead.
Mercy scored again in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead. Junior Breanna Wheeler (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) singled and stole second with one out in the inning. Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) then singled to bring home Wheeler, putting the Mavericks up three.
Pace answered back with two runs in the top of the third on three hits to make it 3-2. The Mavericks quickly responded with a run in the bottom of the third to bring the score to 4-2. Stevens doubled and junior Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas/Allen) followed with a double to score Stevens.
The Mavericks tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth when DiGiacinto hit a two-run home run to right center to make it 6-2.
The Setters scored two runs in the fifth and two runs in the sixth to tie the game up at 6-6 after six innings. After freshman Sabrina Gonzalez (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Wellington) retired Pace in the top of the seventh without allowing a run, DiGiacinto led off the Mavericks half of the inning with a walk-off home run to center field to give Mercy the 7-6 win.
DiGiacinto went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two home runs and three runs. Newham went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Brandt went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Carmichael went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Stevens pitched 6.0 innings with two earned runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Gonzalez pitched a scoreless seventh inning to pick up her first win.
Pace was led by Annie Carberry who went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Emma Bernet pitched 2.1 innings of relief to take the loss.
Game 2: Pace 6, Mercy 3
The Setters jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first on two hits and three Mercy errors. The Mavericks battled back in the bottom of the first with two runs on four hits to make it 4-2. Sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) singled for her 100th career hit and DiGiacinto doubled to put runners on second and third. Bowman then stepped up and smacked a two-run single to left field that cut the Pace lead to two.
The score remained 4-2 until the bottom of the sixth inning when junior Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) led off the inning with a home run to left field to make it 4-3. Senior Emma Gilaga (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) singled and advanced to second, but would be left on second to end the inning.
Pace scored two more runs in the top of the seventh on a Carberry two-run home run to right center which made it 6-3. Mercy could not score in the bottom of the seventh giving the Setters the game two win.
Bowman went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Handegard went 2-for-2 with a home run and RBI. Gilaga went 2-for-3 and Mueller went 1-for-4 with her 100th career hit. Gonzalez tossed a complete game with two earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Pace was led by Carberry who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a home run. MacKenzie Garrick pitched 6.0 innings to pick up the win. Kate Dolinski tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at LIU Post at 3 p.m.
