BOCA RATON, Fla. (Mar. 19, 2022) – Despite a game-high three RBI in game two from senior Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks), the Mercy College softball team dropped 6-2 and 6-4 decisions to Lynn University on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (2-14) have dropped seven games in a row, while the Fighting Knights (11-16) have won three games in a row.
Game 1: Lynn 6, Mercy 2
Mercy opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Freshman Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington) singled and advanced to second before junior Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) singled to put runners on first and third. Seppala later scored and Franck scored the second run after a walk and a Lynn error to give Mercy a 2-0 lead.
It remained 2-0 until the bottom of the second when Lynn scored two runs to tie the game at 2-2. Lynn took the lead for good on a Brittney Davis RBI double in the third inning, taking a 3-2 lead. The Fighting Knights added a run in the fourth and two runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-2 lead.
Mercy went down in order in the seventh inning, giving Lynn the game one win.
Seppala went 2-for-3 with a run and Franck went 1-for-3 with a run. Junior Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption University) went 1-for-3 and senior Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) went 1-for-4. Junior Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) pitched 1.2 innings of relief with three earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Lynn was led by Aymee Godmaire who went 4-for-4 with two RBI. Josey Sumpter pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Mercy had five hits and one error and Lynn had eight hits and two errors.
Game 2: Lynn 6, Mercy 4
Lynn took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a Janelle Dominguez two-run double. The score remained 2-0 until the top of the fourth when Mercy scored two runs to tie the game at 2-2. Junior Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) led off the inning with a double and sophomore Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) singled and stole second, putting runners on second and third. After a flyout, Ricci singled to right center, scoring Smart and Harris to make it 2-2.
The Fighting Knights took a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning on a Godmaire RBI double. The Mavericks struck back with two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-3 lead. Harris reached on an error and senior Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) walked and later stole second to put runners on second and third. Ricci then singled again to center field, scoring Harris to tie the game at 3-3. Crawford stepped up and singled to right field, scoring Bowman to give Mercy a 4-3 lead.
Lynn answered with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead back at 6-4. Mercy went down in order in the seventh inning, giving Lynn the sweep.
Smart went 2-for-4 with a run and Ricci went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Harris went 1-for-3 with two runs and Crawford went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) went 1-for-3 and Puglia went 1-for-1. Junior Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) pitched a complete game with six runs allowed to take the loss.
Lynn was led by Dominguez who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Madison Prickett pitched 3.2 innings of relief with two runs allowed to earn the win.
Mercy had eight hits and no errors and Lynn had eight hits and three errors.
Head Coach Mike Fazio and the Mavericks resume action on Monday, March 21st when they play at Eckerd at 1 p.m.
