DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 13, 2019) – Powered by three hits and two RBI on the day from sophomore Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista), the Mercy College softball team earned 6-5 and 4-3 victories over ECC foe Molloy College on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day Saturday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (20-18, 7-9 ECC) snap a three-game losing streak, while the Lions (15-24, 5-9 ECC) have dropped three games in a row.
Game 1: Mercy 6, Molloy 5
The Lions scored the game's first run in the top of the first on three hits to take a 1-0 lead. Mercy answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 1-1. Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) led off the inning with a double and Mueller followed with a double in the next at bat to bring Newham home.
Molloy retook the lead in the top of the second with two runs on two hits and a Mercy error to build a 3-1 lead.
It remained 3-1 until the bottom of the fourth when the Mavericks took the lead for good with five runs on five hits to take a 6-3 lead. Junior Erika Byrne (San Diego, Calif./San Diego Mesa College) singled to lead off the inning and later scored on an error by the first baseman. Sophomore Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) walked and senior Emma Gilaga (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park Memorial) singled to put runners on first and second. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Mueller singled to score Akers, tying the game up at 3-3. Freshman Jordan DiGiacinto (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) stepped up and delivered a two-run single to right center that scored Mueller and Gilaga to give Mercy a 5-3 lead. DiGiacinto later scored on an error to give the Mavericks a 6-3 lead.
Molloy scored two runs in the top of the seventh but it was not enough as Mercy came away with the game one win.
Mueller went 3-for-3 with two RBI and DiGiacinto went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Senior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College) pitched 6.0 innings with three runs allowed to pick up her seventh win of the season. Junior Alexis Carmichael (Allen, Texas/Allen) recorded three outs in the seventh to earn the save.
Molloy was led by Tara Byrnes who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Courtney Greene pitched 3.2 innings to take the loss.
Game 2: Mercy 4, Molloy 3
Molloy took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on two hits. The Mavericks came back in the bottom of the first with a run to tie the game up at 1-1. Newham singled to lead off the inning and moved to third after a pair of groundouts. Senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) then drove in Newham with a single to right field.
The Lions took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second with a run on a hit. Molloy increased the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth on an inside-the-park home run from Sarah Glaser.
Mercy answered in the bottom of the fifth with two runs on two hits to tie the game up at 3-3. Senior Marisa Miano (Las Vegas, Nev./Colorado Mesa University) singled to lead off the inning and moved to second following a sacrifice bunt. Newham singled to put runners on first and second and another sacrifice moved the runners to second and third. Miano would score on a wild pitch and Newham scored following the wild pitch and an error at home plate by the catcher to tie the game up at 3-3.
Mercy took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth with a run on one hit. Stevens walked and moved over to second following a groundout. Akers then recorded a single up the middle that scored Stevens from second to give the Mavericks a 4-3 lead.
Carmichael worked around a triple in the top of the seventh to secure the win and give Mercy the sweep.
Stevens went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Akers went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Newham went 2-for-3 with two runs. Carmichael tossed a complete game with three runs allowed and three strikeouts to pick up her third win of the year.
Molloy was led by Glaser who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Jenna Turato pitched 5.0 innings with three earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Georgian Court at 12 p.m.
