FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 14, 2020) – Despite three Mavericks recording an RBI, the Mercy College softball team opened up its 2020 season with a 14-5 loss in five innings to Francis Marion University on Friday night.
The Mavericks (0-1) fall in their season opener, while the Patriots (9-1) have won three games in a row.
Senior Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) went 1-for-2 with an RBI and run and freshman Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) went 1-for-1 with an RBI in her debut. Freshman Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) went 2-for-3 with a run in her debut and sophomore Jessica Brandt (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) went 1-for-2. Senior Samantha Gutierrez (Fullerton, Calif./The College of New Rochelle) recorded an RBI in her Mercy debut and junior Jessica Becchetti (Eastchester, N.Y./Ramapo College) made the start in the circle and pitched 1.0 inning with four runs allowed to take a no-decision. Sophomore Katelyn Shephard (Beaumont, Calif./Beaumont) pitched 0.1 inning with seven runs allowed to take the loss. Sophomore Catherine Zucker (North Babylon, N.Y./St. Joseph's College (L.I.) pitched 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.
Francis Marion was led by Sarah Harkins who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a home run. Rachel Davis pitched 2.2 innings of relief to earn the win.
After a scoreless first inning for both teams, Mercy took a 4-0 lead with four runs on one hit and three Francis Marion errors. Franck led off the inning with a single and stole second before scoring after an error by the pitcher to make it 1-0. Sophomore Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) walked during the inning and scored the second run of the inning after Handegard reached on an error. Junior Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) tallied the third run of the frame after a sacrifice bunt from Gutierrez. Handegard recorded the final run of the inning when sophomore Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley) reached on an error to make it 4-0.
Francis Marion answered in the bottom of the inning with 14 runs on seven hits and one Mercy error to take a 14-4 lead after two innings.
Mercy continued to battle in the fourth inning when Handegard singled to left field and scored on a Johnston double to make it 14-5. However, the deficit proved too much to overcome and the Patriots won via the run-rule.
The Mavericks ended the game with five hits and one error and the Patriots ended the game with nine hits and four errors.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Chowan and Mars Hill at Francis Marion starting at 11 a.m.
