DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 26, 2023) – Powered by a game-high four RBI in game one from senior Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) and a game-high four RBI from senior Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) in game two, the Mercy College softball team earned 5-4 and 14-4 wins over Goldey-Beacom College on Sunday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (5-17) improve to 4-0 at home and have won six straight games against the Lightning (21-9).
Game 1: Mercy 5, Goldey-Beacom 4
Goldey-Beacom scored a run in the top of the second and in the top of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. The Lightning tacked on another run in the top of the fifth to build a 3-0 lead.
Mercy would strike for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. Senior Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second following a sophomore Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington) walk. Freshman Cayla Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley) then singled home Smart to make it 4-1. Johnston then followed with a three-run home run to right center to give the Mavericks a 4-3 lead.
The Lightning tied the game up at 4-4 in the top of the seventh following two doubles in the inning. Seppala led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk and Crawford singled to put runners on first and second. Johnston then delivered a double to right center, scoring Seppala to give Mercy the 5-4 walk-off win.
Johnston went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a home run and Crawford went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Seppala went 1-for-1 with two runs and junior Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) went 1-for-4. Senior Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption University) went 1-for-3 and senior Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) allowed three earned runs in seven innings with five strikeouts to earn her second win of the season.
Goldey-Beacom was led by Alex Lowry and Chrissy Jordan who both went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Morgan McLane faced three batters in the seventh inning to take the loss.
Mercy had seven hits and two errors and Goldey-Beacom had 10 hits and two errors.
Game 2: Mercy 14, Goldey-Beacom 4 (5 Innings)
Goldey-Beacom took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before Mercy scored four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 lead. Seppala and Crawford started the rally with singles and Smart singled home Crawford to tie the game at 1-1. Franck then doubled to right center, scoring both Smart and Johnston to put the Mavericks up 3-1. Franck later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
The Lightning scored another run in the top of the second to make it 4-2.
The score remained 4-2 until the bottom of the third when Mercy scored seven runs to take an 11-2 lead. Smart started the inning with a single and scored on a Franck two-run home run to give Mercy a 6-2 lead. Freshman Elizabeth Stark (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) doubled and later scored on an error to make it 7-2. Crawford later singled home Puglia to make it 8-2 and Johnston plated two more runs with a single to give the Mavericks a 10-2 lead. Smart brought home the final run of the inning on a single to give Mercy an 11-2 lead.
Goldey-Beacom scored a run in the top of the fourth to make it 11-3.
Mercy plated three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 14-3. Puglia and Sisco started the rally with singles and Puglia scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-3. Sisco also scored following a wild pitch to give the Mavericks a 13-3 lead. Seppala singled earlier in the inning and scored on a wild pitch to put Mercy up, 14-3.
Goldey-Beacom scored one run in the top of the fifth, but it was not enough and Mercy won 14-4 via the run-rule.
Franck went 2-for-3 with four RBI and a home run and Smart went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Johnston went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Crawford went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Seppala went 2-for-3 with two runs and Sisco went 2-for-4 with two runs. Stark went 2-for-3 and Puglia went 1-for-3. Senior Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) pitched a complete game with two earned runs allowed to earn her first win of the season.
Goldey-Beacom was led by Lowry who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Gwen Safin allowed six runs in two innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 15 hits and two errors and Goldey-Beacom had 10 hits and two errors.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, March 28th when they host STAC at 2:30 p.m.
