DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 1, 2022) – Despite a home run and a team-high-tying four RBI on the day from junior Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra), the Mercy College softball team dropped 5-4 and 16-13 decisions to ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Friday afternoon in their home opener at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (2-23, 0-2 ECC) have dropped 16 games in a row, while the Purple Knights (16-11, 4-4 ECC) improve to .500 in ECC play. The 13 runs scored in game two is a season high.
Game 1: Bridgeport 5, Mercy 4
Bridgeport took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a Missy Daigneault RBI single. Mercy answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Junior Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) led off the inning with a double before senior Ylannah Bowman (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) doubled her home to make it 1-1. Junior Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption University) then singled to right field with Bowman scoring on an error by the right fielder. Puglia later scored on a double steal to make it 3-1.
The score remained 3-1 until the top of the fourth when Bridgeport scored two runs on a Kalea Faulk two-run double to tie the game at 3-3.
It stayed 3-3 until the top of the sixth when Bridgeport scored two runs to take a 5-3 lead. Mercy plated a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 5-4, but a hard line out to the pitcher gave Bridgeport the game one win.
Bowman went 1-for-2 with an RBI and junior Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) went 2-for-3. Puglia, Johnston and senior Alexis Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley High) went 1-for-3. Franck and sophomore Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) went 1-for-4. Junior Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) pitched a complete game with four earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Bridgeport was led by Faulk who went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Kaite Burawski pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Mercy had eight hits and three errors and Bridgeport had 12 hits and one error.
Game 2: Bridgeport 16, Mercy 13
Bridgeport took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first on home runs by Taylor Yates, Kiana Robinson and Faulk. Mercy quickly responded with six runs in the bottom of the first to take a 6-5 lead. Crawford reached on an error and Sisco singled to put runners on first and third. Franck then singled through the left side scoring Crawford to make it 5-1. Johnston then walked to load the bases before Bowman singled to score Sisco making it 5-2. Smart then singled to right field, plating Franck to make it 5-3. After a strikeout, senior Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) singled up the middle to score Johnston, cutting the Bridgeport lead to 5-4. After a pitching change, freshman Maddie Lula (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) singled home Bowman to tie the game at 5-5. Crawford gave Mercy the lead with a groundout to first that scored Smart.
The Purple Knights took the lead back in the second inning with two runs taking a 7-6 lead. The Mavericks once again had an answer in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs to take the lead back at 8-7. Franck singled and stole second before Johnston singled. Bowman was hit by a pitch to load the bases before sophomore Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 7-7. Johnston later scored on a passed ball to give Mercy an 8-7 lead.
A Yates RBI single in the third tied the game at 8-8. Franck answered with a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the inning to give Mercy a 9-8 lead. The Purple Knights scored five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 13-9 lead.
Bridgeport added on three more runs in the sixth inning to build a 16-9 lead. Mercy scored four runs in the final inning but the comeback came up just short. Franck recorded a two-run double in the inning and Bowman singled home a pair of runs to make it 16-13. A groundout to the pitcher ended the inning and game.
Franck went 4-for-5 with four RBI and a home run and Bowman went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Lula went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Sisco went 2-for-5 with a run and Johnston went 2-for-2 with two runs. Smart and Ricci went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Harris went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Sophomore Alexandra Karavias (Westbury, N.Y./WT Clarke) pitched 0.2 innings with five runs allowed to earn a no-decision. Junior Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) pitched three innings with four earned runs allowed to take the loss.
Bridgeport was led by Yates who went 4-for-4 with four RBI. Samantha Schiebe pitched 5.2 innings of relief to earn the win.
Mercy had 15 hits and four errors and Bridgeport had 18 hits and two errors.
Interim Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, April 3rd when they host Staten Island at 1 p.m.
