FLORENCE, S.C. (Feb. 18, 2022) – Despite three Mavericks recording an RBI, the Mercy College softball team opened its 2022 season with a hard-fought 6-5 loss to Francis Marion University on Friday night at FMU Softball Stadium.
The Mavericks (0-1) open their season with a loss, while the Patriots (5-6) have won two games in a row.
Senior Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) went 2-for-3 with two runs, a stolen base and an RBI and senior Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) went 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and stolen base. Junior Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) went 2-for-3 with a run and junior Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) went 1-for-3. Sophomore Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) went 1-for-1 and junior Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) added an RBI. Junior Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) pitched five innings with four runs allowed and three strikeouts to earn a no-decision. Junior Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) pitched an inning of relief with two runs allowed to take the loss.
Francis Marion was led by Lauren Smallwood who went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Rachel Davis pitched the first 4.1 innings with one run allowed to earn a no-decision. Casey Kurent pitched the final 2.2 innings to earn the win.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third when Savana Rosson homered to left field to give the hosts a 1-0 lead after three innings.
The score stayed 1-0 until the top of the fifth when Mercy plated a run to tie the game at 1-1. Ricci singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second after a Sisco single. Franck walked to load the bases before Johnston drew a bases-loaded walk to score Ricci, tying the game at 1-1. A double play ended the threat for the Mavericks.
Francis Marion regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two runs to take a 3-1 lead. Katie Smith led off the inning with a single and scored following an error by the centerfielder to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Danielle Karacson followed with a solo home run to left field to make it 3-1 after five innings.
Mercy battled back in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs to take their first lead of the game at 5-3. Smart singled to lead off the inning and moved to second after an Alexandra Karavias (Westbury, N.Y./WT Clarke) walk. A sacrifice bunt by Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington) moved runners to second and third. Ricci followed with an RBI single to right field to make it 3-2. Ricci then stole second to put runners on second and third again. Crawford singled to center field, bringing home Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption College), who pinch-ran earlier in the inning to tie the game at 3-3. Ricci also scored on the play after an error by the center fielder to give the Mavericks a 4-3 lead. Crawford later scored on a wild pitch for the final run of the inning.
Smallwood led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to get the Patriots within a run, 5-4. Smart doubled in the top of the seventh for Mercy but was left stranded. Francis Marion went on to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the walk-off win. NaJah Gerrald drove in the winning run with two outs on a single to left center.
Mercy finished with eight hits and one error and Francis Marion ended the game with 11 hits and three errors.
Head Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they take on Bloomsburg at 11 a.m. and Tusculum at 3 p.m. at Francis Marion.
