BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Apr. 29, 2022) – Despite an RBI from freshman Maddie Lula (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law), the Mercy College softball team dropped 2-0 and 9-1 decisions to ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Friday afternoon at Seaside Park.

The Mavericks (10-35, 8-14 ECC) have dropped five games in a row, while the Purple Knights (32-13, 16-6 ECC) sweep the season series.

Game 1: Bridgeport 2, Mercy 0

Bridgeport took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Taylor Yates recorded an RBI single and Kiana Robinson brought home the second run after reaching on a fielder's choice.

Senior Ariana Ricci (Sacramento, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks) recorded the Mavericks first hit in the top of the fifth but was left stranded at first. Sophomore Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) walked in the top of the sixth but was thrown out at home when trying to score following a junior Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) double.

Junior Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) singled in the seventh but was left at first, giving Bridgeport the game one win.

Franck went 1-for-2 and Smart and Ricci both went 1-for-3. Junior Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) allowed just three hits and two runs to take the loss.

Bridgeport was led by Yates who went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Kaite Burawski struck out 11 in seven innings to earn the win.

Mercy had three hits and two errors and Bridgeport had three hits and no errors.

Game 2: Bridgeport 9, Mercy 1 (5 Innings)

Bridgeport took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Meg McFarland RBI groundout. The Purple Knights added a run in the second and two runs in the third to take a 4-0 lead.

Mercy scored their first run of the day in the fourth inning to make it 4-1. Lula recorded an RBI single to left field that scored Smart, who reached on a fielder's choice, to make it 4-1.

The Purple Knights scored two runs in the fourth and three runs in the fifth to earn a 9-1 win via the run-rule.

Lula went 1-for-1 with an RBI and sophomore Alexandra Karavias (Westbury, N.Y./WT Clarke) went 2-for-2. Ricci and freshman Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington) went 1-for-2. Benson allowed four runs in 2.1 innings to take the loss.

Bridgeport was led by Kaira Ramon who went 2-for-3 with four RBI. Samantha Schiebe allowed one run in five innings to earn the win.

Mercy had five hits and no errors and Bridgeport had eight hits and no errors.

Interim Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Staten Island at 12 p.m.