FLUSHING, N.Y. (May 4, 2021) –Powered by a three-hit shutout from sophomore Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend), the Mercy College softball team earned a 1-0 victory in game one against ECC foe Queens College before falling 3-1 in game two on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mavericks (16-12, 15-9 ECC) have dropped three of their last four games and end the regular season in fourth place. The Knights (4-20, 4-20 ECC) earn a win in their season finale.
Game 1: Mercy 1, Queens 0
A pitcher's duel broke out between Benson and Queens starter Emma Wimmer. The game remained scoreless until the top of the third when Mercy scored the game's lone run to take a 1-0 lead. Senior Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) walked and junior Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) followed with a single. Akers would score following an error by the second baseman to give Mercy the lead.
Benson allowed a hit in the first inning, but did not allow another hit until the sixth inning. The Knights loaded the bases in the sixth, but Benson induced a ground out to get out of the inning.
Benson retired the Knights in order in the seventh inning to give Mercy the game one win.
Crawford, senior Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) and junior Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) all went 1-for-3. Akers went 1-for-1 with a run scored. Benson went the distance with just three hits allowed and eight strikeouts to earn her eighth win of the year.
Queens was led by Jessica Hickey who went 1-for-2. Wimmer pitched all seven innings to take the loss.
Game 2: Queens 3, Mercy 1
The Mavericks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when junior Katelyn Shephard (Beaumont, Calif./Beaumont) hit a home run to left field.
The score stayed at 1-0 until the third inning when Queens scored three runs on four hits and a Mercy error to take a 3-1 lead.
Mercy recorded eight hits in the game but could not score again, giving the Knights the game two win.
Crawford went 2-for-4 and Mueller, Burgos and Bowman went 1-for-4. Senior Alyssa Guzman (Riverside, Calif./Mount San Antonio College) went 1-for-2 and freshman Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) also went 1-for-2. Shephard went 1-for-2 with her first career home run and pitched 2.2 innings with three runs allowed to take the loss. Juniors Sabrina Gonzalez (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Wellington) and Catherine Zucker (North Babylon, N.Y./St. Joseph's College (LI)) pitched a combined 3.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Queens was led by Danielle D'Angelo who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Arianna Fracchioni pitched all seven innings to earn the win.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, May 7th in the ECC Tournament. The opponent and time are to be determined.
