BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (May 8, 2021) – Despite an RBI from senior Casey Akers (Keller, Texas/Timber Creek) and sophomore Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra), the Mercy College softball team dropped 3-1 and 5-1 decisions to University of Bridgeport in Games Two and Three of an East Coast Conference (ECC) Semifinal Best-of-Three Series on Saturday afternoon at Seaside Park.

The Mavericks (17-14) see their season come to an end after dropping both games today. The Purple Knights (20-7) advance to next week's Final with the wins.

Game 1: Bridgeport 3, Mercy 1

The scored remained 0-0 until the third inning when Bridgeport plated a run on an Elyssa Marmolejo RBI single to make it 1-0.

Mercy would tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Freshman Alexandra Karavias (Westbury, N.Y./WT Clarke) walked and advanced to third after a pair of groundouts. Akers then doubled to right field to bring home Karavias, tying the game at 1-1.

The score remained 1-1 until the top of the eighth when Taylor Yates hit a two-run home run to give Bridgeport a 3-1 lead.

Mercy could not score in the bottom of the inning, giving Bridgeport the game two win.

Akers went 1-for-2 with an RBI and senior Hannah Mueller (Fair Oaks, Calif./Bella Vista) went 2-for-4. Senior Alyssa Guzman (Riverside, Calif./Mount San Antonio College) went 1-for-2 and sophomore Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) went 1-for-3. Franck went 1-for-1 and sophomore Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) pitched five innings of relief to take the loss.

Bridgeport was led by Yates who went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Kaite Burawski pitched a complete game to earn the win.

Game 2: Bridgeport 5, Mercy 1

The score remained 0-0 until the third inning when Meg McFarland recorded an RBI double to make it 1-0.

Bridgeport added a run in the fourth inning to increase the lead to 2-0.

Mercy scored their lone run in the fifth inning when Akers doubled and scored on a Franck RBI single to make it 2-1.

Bridgeport scored three runs on three hits in the sixth inning to take a 5-1 lead.

The Purple Knights led the rest of the way to secure the series win.

Franck went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Akers went 1-for-4 with a run. Johnston, junior Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) and senior Danielle Burgos (Calexico, Calif./Arizona Western College) went 2-for-3. Benson pitched 5.1 innings to take the loss.

Bridgeport was led by Sam Ferreri who went 1-for-2 with three RBI. Burawski pitched another complete game to earn the win.