DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 9, 2019) – Powered by a complete-game win in game one from senior Raina Gorman (Ardsley, N.Y./Florida Southwestern State College), the Mercy College softball team earned a 4-1 victory over ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College in game one before falling 8-0 in game two on Tuesday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (17-15, 5-7 ECC) earn their second straight doubleheader split, while the Spartans (17-13, 8-4 ECC) earn their third straight doubleheader split.
Game 1: Mercy 4, St. Thomas Aquinas 1
The Spartans struck first in the top of the second with a run on a hit and an error to take a 1-0 lead. Mercy rallied and tied the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) doubled and came around to score following a St. Thomas Aquinas error by the first baseman.
After a scoreless top of the fourth, Mercy took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth with a run on two hits and an error. Freshman Jordan DiGiacinto (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) ingled and senior Kaylee Stevens (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Freshman Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) later brought home freshman Jessica Brandt with an RBI single to center field that made it 2-1.
Mercy scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Akers led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a Breanna Wheeler (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) sacrifice bunt. Senior Mikayla Newham (Redding, Calif./Yavapai College) stepped up and delivered an RBI double to right center which gave Mercy a 3-1 lead. DiGiacinto singled later in the inning to score Newham and put the Mavericks up 4-1.
Gorman did not allow a run after the second inning and allowed only five hits to secure the win.
DiGiacinto went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Bowman went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Akers went 2-for-2 with two runs and Newham went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Gorman struck out two to pick up her team-leading sixth win of the year.
St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Amanda Leone who was 1-for-3 with an RBI and Colleen Borum allowed two earned runs to take the loss.
Game 2: St. Thomas Aquinas 8, Mercy 0
The Spartans scored two runs on two hits in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. St. Thomas Aquinas scored three more runs in the top of the second to build a 5-0 lead.
The guests scored three more runs in the top of the fourth to increase the lead to 8-0. Mercy could only record one hit in the contest with Akers doubling in the bottom of the fifth. However, it was not enough as the Spartans won the game via the run-rule.
Akers went 1-for-2 and freshman Katelyn Shephard (Beaumont, Calif./Beaumont) went 1.1 innings with two earned runs allowed to take the loss.
St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Caitlyn Francoeur who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Adrianna Dilal pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Pace at 3 p.m.
