STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (Apr. 10, 2021) – Powered by a team-high two RBI from senior Alyssa Guzman (Riverside, Calif./Mount San Antonio College) and five strong innings in the circle from junior Sabrina Gonzalez (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Wellington) in game two, the Mercy College softball team dropped a 3-2 decision in game one before earning a 6-3 victory in game two against ECC foe College of Staten Island on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (6-4, 5-1 ECC) snap a two-game losing streak with the game two win and start 5-1 in ECC play for the first time since 2017. The Dolphins (3-5, 3-5 ECC) remain under .500 with the game two loss.
Game 1: Staten Island 3, Mercy 2
Mercy fell behind in the bottom of the first as the Dolphins scored an unearned run on two hits and a Mercy error to take a 1-0 lead after one inning.
It remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth when Staten Island scored a run on a groundout to shortstop to build a 2-0 lead.
The Mavericks responded with two runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. Senior Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Danielle Burgos (Calexico, Calif./Arizona Western College) then doubled down the left field to plate Mueller for Mercy's first run. Sophomore Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) later reached on an error by the second baseman, allowing Burgos to score the second run of the frame. The inning came to an end with runners being thrown out at home and third.
The score stayed tied at 2-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh. The Dolphins scored the winning run following back-to-back errors by the Mavericks to earn the 3-2 walk-off win.
Burgos went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Johnston went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Mueller went 1-for-2 with a run and junior Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) and senior Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) both went 1-for-3. Sophomore Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) allowed one earned run in six innings with seven strikeouts to take the loss.
Staten Island was led by Emily Koerick who pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts and went 2-for-4 with two runs.
Game 2: Mercy 6, Staten Island 3
Mercy got the bats going in game two right away, plating three runs in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead. Mueller reached on an error and later scored on a Johnston RBI single to center field making it 1-0. Guzman then stepped up and delivered a triple to right center that brought home both Johnston and junior Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral), who had reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning, to give Mercy a 3-0 lead.
Staten Island produced two unearned runs in the bottom of the first to make it 3-2 in favor of the Mavericks after one inning.
The score was 3-2 until the top of the fifth when the Mavericks scored three runs to build a 6-2 lead. Sophomore Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption College) walked and sophomore Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) pinch ran for her. Oquendo advanced to third after a fielder's choice and groundout. Mueller then singled to bring home Oquendo and Ricci also scored following a Dolphin error for the second run of the inning. Burgos brought in the final run of the inning when she singled to the shortstop to bring home Mueller.
Gonzalez retired the Dolphins in order in the fifth and did not allow a run after the first inning. Junior Catherine Zucker (North Babylon, N.Y./St. Joseph's L.I.) pitched the final two innings with just one run allowed to preserve the win.
Guzman went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Burgos went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Mueller went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs and Johnston went 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Gonzalez pitched five innings with no earned runs allowed and one strikeouts to earn her first win of the season. Zucker pitched the final two innings with one run allowed and four strikeouts.
Staten Island was led by Isabel Gallo who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Nicole Rivera pitched 4.1 innings with three earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Tomorrow's doubleheader at Bridgeport has been postponed. The Mavericks will resume action on Tuesday, April 13th when they host Queens at 2:30 p.m.
