WALTHAM, Mass. (Mar. 24, 2024) – Powered by nine different Mavericks recording an RBI on the day and strong pitching performances from graduate student Alexi Benson (Spotsylvania, Va./Riverbend) and sophomore Mackayla Secoda (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), the Mercy University softball team earned 9-1 and 9-3 victories over 2023 NCAA Tournament participant Bentley University on Sunday afternoon.
The Mavericks (4-12) snapped an eight-game losing streak, while the Falcons (8-10) saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.
Game 1: Mercy 9, Bentley 1
After a scoreless first inning, graduate student Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) led off the top of the second with her first career home run to left field, giving Mercy a 1-0 lead. The Falcons scored a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 1-1.
The Mavericks exploded for five runs in the third inning to take a 6-1 lead. Freshman Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) reached on an error and freshman Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) singled before freshman Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View) walked later in the inning to load the bases. Smart then was hit by a pitch allowing Reyer to score to make it 2-1. After a strikeout made two outs in the inning, graduate student Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) hit a double to left field, bringing home Murphy and Miller to make it 4-1. Sophomore Delaney Baker (Lambertville, N.J./South Hunterdon Regional) then hit a two-run double of her own to give the Mavericks a 6-1 lead.
The score remained 6-1 until the fifth inning when Mercy plated a run to make it 7-1. Franck led off the inning with a double before Baker singled to put runners on first and third. Senior Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Franck to score.
Mercy scored two more runs in the sixth inning to take a 9-1 lead. Miller singled and advanced to second on an error before Smart walked. Smart advanced to second and Miller to third after a wild pitch before freshman Julianna Coluccio (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Regional) hit a two-run double to center field.
Benson did not allow a run in the sixth inning, giving Mercy the 9-1 game one win via the run-rule.
Mercy was led by Smart who went 1-for-2 with her first career home run and two RBI. Franck went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Baker went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Coluccio went 1-for-4 with two RBI and senior Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) went 2-for-4. Miller went 1-for-2 with two runs and Murphy went 1-for-4. Benson allowed eight hits and just one run in six innings with four strikeouts to earn her first win of the season.
Bentley was led by Morgan Fraitzl who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Payton Doiron allowed five earned runs in 2.2 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 11 hits and no errors and Bentley had eight hits and two errors.
Game 2: Mercy 9, Bentley 3
Bentley scored a run in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead after three innings.
The Mavericks answered with five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-2 lead. Smart singled and Franck doubled to put runners on second and third. Following a strikeout, sophomore Daedra VanLuvanee (Walnutport, Pa./Northampton Area) singled home Smart to make it 2-1. Harris then singled home Franck to tie the game at 2-2. After a strikeout made two outs in the inning, Murphy doubled to left field, scoring VanLuvanee and Harris to give Mercy a 4-2 lead. Sisco then singled home Murphy for the final run of the inning, giving the Mavericks a 5-2 lead.
Mercy scored three more runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-2 lead. Murphy singled and Sisco doubled to start the inning before Miller singled allowing Murphy to score to make it 6-2. Franck later doubled to right field, scoring Sisco and Miller to make it 8-2. Bentley scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 8-3.
The Mavericks scored their final run in the top of the seventh to make it 9-3. Freshman Ryleigh Melendez (Yorktown, N.Y./Lakeland) singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball before scoring on a Sisco RBI single to center field.
Secoda held the Falcons scoreless in the seventh inning giving Mercy the 9-3 game two win and the doubleheader sweep.
Mercy was led by Sisco who went 4-for-5 with two RBI and by Murphy who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Franck went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Smart went 3-for-5. VanLuvanee went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Harris went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Miller went 1-for-5 with an RBI and Coluccio went 1-for-2. Melendez went 1-for-4. Secoda allowed just two earned runs in seven innings with two strikeouts to earn her second win of the season.
Bentley was led by Hailey Feiler who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Riley Piromalli allowed eight runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had a season-high 18 hits with no errors and Bentley had eight hits and no errors.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, March 26th when they play at STAC at 2:30 p.m.
