DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 19, 2024) – The Mercy University softball team plays at Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, March 20th at 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. before opening ECC play on Thursday, March 21st at Queens College at 2 & 4 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 20th 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (2-8), Southern Connecticut State (2-8)
Location: New Haven, Conn.
Date/Time: Thursday, March 21st 2 & 4 p.m.
Records: Mercy (2-8, 0-0 ECC), Queens (5-6, 0-0 ECC)
Location: Flushing, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Southern Connecticut State
Mercy earned a 6-3 win over Southern Connecticut State on March 28, 2019.
Last Meeting vs. Queens
Mercy earned a 5-4 win over Queens on April 14, 2023.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off 6-5 and 9-5 losses at Georgian Court on Sunday. The Mavericks were led by graduate student Nicole Smart who had a team-high three RBI and by senior Shannon Sisco who recorded her first career home run. Mercy enters the 2024 season picked third in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 15-31 overall and 10-10 in ECC play last season, qualifying for the ECC Tournament for the third straight season. The Mavericks earned the No. 3 seed in the ECC Tournament last season and look to qualify for the ECC Tournament for the fourth straight season under Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo.
Leading the returners for the Mavericks is graduate student Samantha Franck who was named First Team All-ECC last season after hitting .289 with 27 RBI, six home runs and 35 hits. Franck was named to the ECC Honor Roll three times last season and led the team in home runs and was fifth in the ECC in RBI. Senior Shannon Sisco also returns after being tabbed First Team All-ECC a year ago. Sisco ended the 2023 season hitting .373 with 60 hits, 39 runs, eight RBI and 20 stolen bases. She ranked second in the ECC in stolen bases and batting average last season and led the team in runs, hits, and doubles. Junior Victoria Seppala earned First Team All-ECC honors in 2023 and hit .328 with 15 RBI, two home runs, four triples, 42 hits and 28 runs scored. Seppala led the team in triples and was third in runs scored.
Graduate student Nicole Smart also returns after hitting .258 with 18 RBI, 32 hits, five doubles and 10 runs scored in 2023. Senior Mia Harris had four RBI, seven runs scored and five stolen bases last season and returns and sophomore Elizabeth Stark had two home runs, eight RBI and nine runs scored in her rookie campaign. Senior Alexandra Karavias, junior Maddie Lula and sophomore Daedra VanLuvanee return after combining for nine RBI, one home run, 11 hits and six runs scored last season. Sophomore Delaney Baker returns after sitting out last season. Baker hit .561 during her junior year of high school at South Hunterdon Regional and had the most RBI and home runs on the team.
Returning in the circle is graduate student Alexi Benson who was named Second Team All-ECC in 2022 and won six games last season with a team-best 3.73 ERA in 23 games with a team-high 99 strikeouts. Benson was named to the ECC Honor Roll once last season and had 16 complete games and tied for the team in wins in 135 innings pitched. She led the team in strikeouts and innings pitched and set a school record for career strikeouts. Sophomore Marina Provencio also returns after winning a team-high-tying six games last season. She appeared in 22 games making three starts with 30 strikeouts and one save in 52.1 innings pitched. Graduate student Angelina Oquendo made 16 starts in the circle last season and returns after recording one win, one save and 22 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched a year ago. Sophomore Mackayla Secoda returns after winning two games last season with 18 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched. Secoda was named ECC Rookie of the Week once last season and made five starts in the circle.
Lorenzo welcomes a strong recruiting class led by freshmen Onnika DeBruhl, Allison Murphy, Julianna Coluccio, Ryleigh Melendez, Averi Miller, Dylan Reyer and Madison Haack. Murphy was named League Player of the Year, Third Team All-State, All-Section, All-County and All-League at North Rockland High School. Coluccio was tabbed First and Second Team All-Conference during her time at Timber Creek Regional High School and Melendez was named All-League three times and All-Section twice at Lakeland High School. Miller was a four-year varsity player at Arbor View High School in Nevada and hit .356 during her career with 53 hits and 39 RBI. Reyer was named a Newsday Top 100 softball player on Long Island for three straight years and was named All-County three times.
The Mavericks also welcome junior transfers Kimberlee Childs from University of Bridgeport. Childs appeared in 15 games in two seasons at Bridgeport with seven runs scored and four stolen bases.
Mercy has been led at the plate by freshman Allison Murphy who is hitting a team-high .300 with nine hits, five runs and five stolen bases. Freshman Averi Miller was named to the ECC Honor Roll last week and is hitting .300 with three RBI, three runs and two doubles. Sisco was named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday and is hitting .296 with three RBI, a home run, seven runs and five stolen bases. Graduate student Samantha Franck is hitting .250 with four RBI and a home run with four runs scored and two doubles. Smart is hitting .250 with a team-high eight RBI.
The pitching staff is led by graduate student Angelina Oquendo who was named to the ECC Honor Roll last week and is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 23.1 innings with nine strikeouts. Sophomore Mackayla Secoda is 1-2 with a 4.75 ERA in 17.2 innings with 12 strikeouts. Graduate student Alexi Benson has pitched 20.0 innings with eight strikeouts.
Mercy is looking to start ECC play 2-0 for the first time since 2021.
Scouting the Owls
Southern Connecticut State is coming off 1-0 and 4-3 losses at Molloy on Sunday. The Owls were picked eighth in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 14-28 last season. Southern Connecticut State has been led by Rachel Miller who is hitting a team-high .353 with a team-high seven RBI to go with four runs and three stolen bases. Karley Austin is hitting .333 with five RBI and five runs and Gabriella Festa has six RBI. The pitching staff is led by Jessica Perucki who is 2-2 with a 0.51 ERA in 27.1 innings with 23 strikeouts. Ashley Lewis is 0-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 23.0 innings with 16 strikeouts.
Scouting the Knights
Queens is coming off 6-1 and 10-2 losses at Adelphi on March 13th. The Knights were picked fifth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 11-34 last season, qualifying for the ECC Championship. Queens has been led by Jenny Murphy who has a team-high eight RBI and by Caylea Campbell who is hitting .304 with seven RBI. Alyssa Wilkinson and Amanda Baez both have five RBI and Caroline Pescatore is hitting a team-high .314. Campbell is also 4-1 in the circle with a 2.10 ERA in 40.0 innings with 26 strikeouts. Sam Voskinarian is 0-3 with a 9.10 ERA in 20.0 innings with three strikeouts.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Southern New Hampshire on Saturday, March 23rd at 1 p.m.
