BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Apr. 11, 2019) – Despite a home run from junior Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) in game two, the Mercy College softball team dropped 8-0 and 6-3 decisions to ECC foe RV LIU Post on Thursday afternoon.
The Mavericks (18-18, 5-9 ECC) have dropped three games in a row, while the Pioneers (31-7, 12-2 ECC) have won five games in a row.
Game 1: LIU Post 8, Mercy 0
After a scoreless first inning, the Pioneers took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second on two hits. Patricia Dun had a two-run triple and Allie Laird tripled home another run for LIU Post.
The hosts added on another run in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead as Megan Sneeden recorded an RBI single. The Pioneers scored two more runs in the fourth inning to build a 6-0 lead.
Mercy could only record two hits in the contest and LIU Post put the game away in the fifth with two runs on two hits to earn the win via the run-rule.
Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) and freshman Jessica Brandt (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) both went 1-for-2. Senior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College) pitched 3.2 innings with five earned runs allowed to take the loss.
LIU Post was led by Dun who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Katie Humhej pitched a complete game with three strikeouts to earn the win.
Game 2: LIU Post 6, Mercy 3
LIU Post jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a Hanna Finkelstein RBI double and a Sneeden two-run single.
It remained 3-0 until the top of the fourth when Mercy scored a run to make it 3-1. After a fly out led off the inning, Handegard smacked a ball over the right field fence for her fifth home run of the season to get the Mavericks on the board.
The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the inning with three runs on five hits to increase the lead to 6-1. The score remained 6-1 until the top of the seventh when freshman Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) and sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) recorded RBI groundouts. However, a strikeout looking ended the threat to give LIU Post the sweep.
Handegard went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Mueller went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Freshman Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) and sophomore Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) went 2-for-3 with a run. Newham went 1-for-2 and senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) pitched a complete game with three earned runs allowed to take the loss.
LIU Post was led by Sneeden who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Hannah Olshevski tossed a complete game to earn the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, April 13th when they host Molloy at 1 p.m.
