DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 28, 2021) – Powered by a walk-off home run in game two from junior Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) and a 10-inning complete game from sophomore Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend), the Mercy College softball team earned 7-1 and 2-1 victories over ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Wednesday afternoon at Smith Field. The Mavericks fell 2-1 to the Purple Knights in 15 innings in the completion of the suspended game from April 22nd to start the day.
In a ceremony prior to the game, seniors Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek), Jessica Becchetti (Eastchester, N.Y./Ramapo College) and Alyssa Guzman (Riverside, Calif./Mount San Antonio College) were recognized for their contributions to the softball program and the athletic department.
The Mavericks (15-9, 14-6 ECC) win the season series with the Purple Knights (14-6, 14-6 ECC) and sit in a tie for first in the ECC standings with four games to play.
Suspended Game From 4/22 – Bridgeport 2, Mercy 1 (15 Innings)
Bridgeport took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on two hits. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh when Mercy scored a run to tie the game at 1-1. Senior Danielle Burgos (Calexico, Calif./Arizona Western College) singled and advanced to third on an error. Guzman walked and stole second to put runners on second and third. Guzman would later score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1.
Bridgeport could not score and the game went to extra innings. After the eighth inning, the game was halted due to darkness and resumed today at Smith Field in the top of the ninth. The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the 15th when Bridgeport scored following a single with the bases loaded to earn the 2-1 win.
Senior Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) went 2-for-7 and Bowman went 2-for-6. Burgos went 1-for-5, Akers went 1-for-5, freshman Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) went 1-for-4 and Guzman went 1-for-3. Becchetti pitched 6.2 innings with one run allowed to earn the no-decision. Junior Katelyn Shephard (Beaumont, Calif./Beaumont) pitched seven innings of relief with one run allowed to take the loss.
Bridgeport was led by Kiana Robinson who went 2-for-7 with an RBI. Kaite Burawski pitched the entire 15 innings over two days with 23 strikeouts to earn the win.
Game 1: Mercy 7, Bridgeport 1
Bridgeport took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first following a Mercy error. The Mavericks responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead. Junior Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) singled and stole second before Mueller reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on second and third. Burgos followed with an RBI single to make it 1-1. Sophomore Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) continued the rally with an RBI single of her own, which made it 2-1. Sophomore Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) then stepped up and delivered an RBI single to give Mercy a 3-1 lead. Bowman singled home the final run of the inning to make it 4-1.
Becchetti held the Purple Knights without a run for her final four innings and Mercy added on two more runs in the second inning to make it 6-1. Crawford and Mueller singled to lead off the inning and Franck hit a two-run double later in the inning to give the Mavericks a five-run lead.
Mercy made it 7-1 in the fourth when Burgos tripled and scored on a Johnston sacrifice fly. The combination of Becchetti, Shephard and junior Catherine Zucker (North Babylon, N.Y./St. Joseph's (LI) held Bridgeport scoreless for the final six innings to give Mercy the win.
Franck went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Johnston went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Burgos went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Crawford went 2-for-4 with two runs. Crawford recorded her 20th stolen base of the season in the win, setting a new single-season school record for stolen bases. The previous record of 19 was set by Lois Arroyo in 1987. Mueller went 1-for-4 and Guzman and Akers went 1-for-3. Becchetti pitched five innings with no earned runs allowed to pick up her fourth win of the season. Shephard and Zucker combined to pitch two scoreless innings of relief.
Bridgeport was led by Taylor Yates who went 2-for-3. Miranda Hillman pitched one inning to take the loss.
Game 2: Mercy 2, Bridgeport 1 (10 Innings)
Another pitcher's duel broke out between the teams in game two with Benson pitching one of her best games as a Maverick. The score remained 0-0 until the bottom of the third when Mercy scored a run to take a 1-0 lead. Crawford singled and stole second before Akers doubled to right center to make it 1-0.
Bridgeport answered in the top of the fourth with a run following a Yates double to make it 1-1.
It remained 1-1 after seven innings and extra innings were needed again to decide the winner between the two teams. The score remained 1-1 heading to the bottom of the 10th with Benson limiting Bridgeport to just two hits in the game. Following a groundout to start the inning, Bowman hit a home run to center field on a 0-1 pitch that gave Mercy the doubleheader sweep in walk-off fashion.
Bowman went 1-for-4 with her third home run of the year and Crawford went 2-for-3. Akers went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Mueller went 1-for-2. Benson pitched a career-high 10 innings with just two hits allowed and one run with six strikeouts to pick up her seventh win of the season.
Bridgeport was led by Yates who went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Burawski pitched 9.1 innings with two runs allowed to take the loss.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Queens at 2:30 p.m.
