STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (Apr. 27, 2024) – Powered by a complete game shutout from graduate student Alexi Benson (Spotsylvania, Va./Riverbend) and a home run from graduate student Samantha Franck (La Habra Heights, Calif./La Habra) in game two, the Mercy University softball team dropped a 5-1 decision in game one to ECC foe College of Staten Island before earning a 4-0 win in game two to secure their fourth straight ECC Championship berth on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (14-26, 8-12 ECC) have earned the No. 4 seed in next week's ECC Championship and will either play at Molloy or St. Thomas Aquinas on Thursday, May 2nd. Molloy and St. Thomas Aquinas play a doubleheader tomorrow to determine the top seed in the championship. The Dolphins (15-31, 7-13 ECC) drop three out of the four meetings to Mercy this season.
Game 1: Staten Island 5, Mercy 1
Staten Island scored three runs in the first inning and two runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead.
The score remained 5-0 until the top of the sixth when Mercy scored a run to make it 5-1. Freshman Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) singled to lead off the inning and scored on a senior Shannon Sisco (Cicero, N.Y./Mansfield University) RBI double to left field.
Mercy could not score again, giving the Dolphins the 5-1 game one win.
Mercy was led by Sisco who went 2-for-3 with an RBI and by Murphy who went 1-for-3 with a run. Graduate student Nicole Smart (Santa Clarita, Calif./Golden Valley) went 1-for-2 and junior Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington), sophomore Delaney Baker (Lambertville, N.J./South Hunterdon Regional) and freshman Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) all went 1-for-3. Graduate student Angelina Oquendo (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) allowed three runs in one inning to take the loss.
Staten Island was led by Anissa Acosta who went 2-for-4 with two home runs and two RBI. Kennedie Ruth pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Mercy had seven hits and one error and Staten Island had 11 hits and no errors.
Game 2: Mercy 4, Staten Island 0
Benson tossed her best game of the season, surrendering just seven hits and no runs to earn the complete game win. The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth when Franck led off the inning with a home run to left field, giving Mercy a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks added three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Murphy singled and stole second before scoring after Sisco struck out and reached on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. Freshman Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View) then singled home Sisco to make it 3-0 and Miller later scored on a wild pitch to give the Mavericks a 4-0 lead.
That would be more than enough support for Benson who held the Dolphins scoreless for the remainder of the game to give Mercy the 4-0 win and an ECC Championship berth.
Mercy was led by Benson who struck out four threw just 68 pitches to earn her fifth win. Franck went 1-for-2 with her ECC-leading 18th home run of the season and Miller went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Murphy and Sisco both went 1-for-4 with a run and freshman Onnika DeBruhl (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) went 1-for-2.
Staten Island was led by Bridget Motley who went 2-for-3. Alexandra Frenza allowed one run in four innings to take the loss.
Mercy had six hits and one error and Staten Island had seven hits and no errors.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, May 2nd in the ECC Championship.
