FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 15, 2020) – Powered by a team-high four RBI on the day from junior Danielle Burgos (Calexico, Calif./Arizona Western College), the Mercy College softball team earned a 10-7 victory over Chowan University and a 9-5 victory over Mars Hill University on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (2-1) move over .500 on the year, while the Hawks (3-3) fall to .500 on the year and the Lions (0-3) remain winless.
Game 1: Mercy 10, Chowan 7
Mercy opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with two runs on three hits. Burgos singled and advanced to second on the throw with sophomore Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) being thrown out at the plate after leading the inning off with a single. Burgos scored when freshman Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) reached on an error by the shortstop to make it 1-0. Senior Erika Byrne (San Diego, Calif./San Diego Mesa College) brought home Franck with an RBI double to right center to finish the scoring in the inning.
The Mavericks tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead. Senior Erica Handegard (Reno, Nev./Earl Wooster) singled and senior Samantha Gutierrez (Fullerton, Calif./The College of New Rochelle) reached on an error to put runners on first and second. Crawford then singled to load the bases before junior Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) plated both Gutierrez and Handegard with a two-run single down the right-field line.
Chowan evened the score up at 4-4 in the top of the third with four runs on three hits and three Mercy errors.
Mercy regained the lead in the fourth inning with five runs on six hits. Gutierrez, Crawford and Mueller singled to load the bases. Burgos then recorded a triple to center field that scored all three to make it 7-4. Franck then doubled to left center to score Burgos and sophomore Jessica Brandt (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) later brought home Franck with a single to left field to make it 9-4.
Chowan inched closer with three runs in the sixth inning to make it 9-7. However, the Mavericks tacked on a run in the sixth inning when Brandt stole home to put Mercy up 10-7. Freshman Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) worked around a leadoff single in the seventh inning to seal the win for the Mavericks.
Burgos went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs and Mueller went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Franck went 1-for-2 with an RBI and Byrne went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Brandt went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Crawford went 3-for-3. Benson pitched a complete game with just one earned run allowed and six strikeouts to pick up her first collegiate win.
Chowan was led by Lindsey Stigler who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Megan Vincent pitched 3.0 innings with six earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Game 2: Mercy 9, Mars Hill 5
Mars Hill scored first in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead. Mercy answered in the bottom of the inning when freshman Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption College) doubled home sophomore Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) to make it 1-1. The Lions tacked on three runs in the third and one run in the fourth to build a 5-1 lead.
Mercy battled back and responded with six runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-5 lead. Gutierrez, Crawford and freshman Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) singled to lead off the inning. Burgos then drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-2. After a pitching change, Franck drew another bases-loaded walk to make it 5-3. Sophomore Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) then singled home Smart and Burgos also scored following an error by the left fielder to make it 5-5. Freshman Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) then stepped up and delivered an RBI single to center to give Mercy the lead and Ricci drove in the final run of the inning on a groundout to make it 7-5.
Mercy scored two more runs in the sixth inning to increase the lead to 9-5. Sophomore Sabrina Gonzalez (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Wellington) tossed a scoreless seventh inning to secure the win for the Mavericks.
Franck went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Bowman went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Johnston went 1-for-2 with an RBI and Ricci and Puglia both went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Crawford went 2-for-3 and Gonzalez tossed a complete game with three earned runs allowed to pick up the win.
Mars Hill was led by Sydney Craig who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Ashley Evans pitched 2.0 innings to take the loss.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play Chowan at Francis Marion at 10 a.m.
