DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 23, 2023) – Powered by a career-high five RBI in game one from senior Sydney Johnston (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial), the Mercy College softball team earned a 9-4 win over ECC foe D'Youville University before falling 9-2 in the nightcap on Sunday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (13-29, 8-10 ECC) have split their last three doubleheaders and secure their third straight ECC Tournament berth. The Saints (16-24, 10-8 ECC) split the season series with Mercy.
Game 1: Mercy 9, D'Youville 4
Mercy took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington) singled and senior Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) was hit by a pitch before Johnston doubled to left field, scoring two runs to make it 2-0. Senior Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) then singled home Johnston to make it 3-0.
The Mavericks added four more runs in the second inning to take a 7-0 lead. Senior Hailey Puglia (Holtsville, N.Y./Assumption University), junior Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) and junior Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) singled to lead off the inning, loading the bases. Seppala then singled to right field, scoring Puglia to make it 4-0. Freshman Cayla Crawford (Hemet, Calif./West Valley) then singled, scoring Harris to make it 5-0. Johnston later singled home two more runs to make it 7-0.
The Saints scored a run in the third inning on a Hannah Bardeen home run to make it 7-1. Mercy got the run back in the bottom of the inning to make it 8-1. Sisco singled and later scored on a Crawford double down the right field line.
D'Youville scored two runs in the fourth inning to make it 8-3.
The score remained 8-3 until the sixth inning when Mercy scored again to make it 9-3. Crawford walked to lead off the inning and scored on a Johnston RBI single.
D'Youville scored a run in the top of the seventh to make it 9-4, but could not score again giving Mercy the game one win.
Johnston went 3-for-4 with a career-high five RBI and Crawford went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Smart went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Seppala went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sisco went 2-for-4 with two runs and Harris went 2-for-3. Puglia and freshman Elizabeth Stark (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) both went 1-for-4. Senior Alexi Benson (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) allowed three runs in three innings to earn a no-decision. Freshman Marina Provencio (Saugus, Calif./Saugus) allowed one run in four innings to earn her fifth win of the season.
D'Youville was led by Bardeen who went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Cassie Crerar allowed five runs in six innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 16 hits and one error and D'Youville had six hits and no errors.
Game 2: D'Youville 9, Mercy 2
The Saints took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Gianna Adamo RBI single. Mercy took the lead in the bottom of the inning with two runs. Sisco doubled to lead off the inning and stole third before scoring on a Crawford RBI single to make it 1-1. Franck walked and would score on a Smart RBI single to give Mercy a 2-1 lead.
D'Youville took a 4-2 lead in the third inning on an Adamo three-run home run.
The Saints made it 5-2 in the sixth inning on a Bardeen RBI double.
D'Youville added four runs in the seventh to take a 9-2 lead. Mercy could not score in the bottom of the inning giving the Saints the game two win.
Franck went 2-for-2 with her 100th career hit and Sisco went 2-for-4 with a run. Smart and Crawford both went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Stark and Puglia both went 1-for-3. Senior Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) allowed four runs in 2.1 innings to take the loss.
D'Youville was led by Adamo who went 3-for-4 with four RBI. Sarah Parzych pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Mercy had eight hits and no errors and D'Youville had 14 hits and one error.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, April 29th when they play at Staten Island at 12 p.m.
