DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 17, 2025) – The Mercy University softball team hosts College of Staten Island in their ECC and home opener on Wednesday, March 19th starting at 2:30 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 19th 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (5-7, 0-0 ECC), Staten Island (9-7, 0-0 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Staten Island
Mercy earned a 4-0 win over Staten Island on April 27, 2024.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy entered the 2025 season picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 14-28 overall and 8-12 in ECC play last season, qualifying for the ECC Tournament for the fourth straight season. The Mavericks earned the No. 4 seed in the ECC Tournament last season and look to qualify for the ECC Tournament for the fifth straight season under Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo.
Leading the returners for the Mavericks is sophomore Averi Miller who hit .336 last season with 30 RBI, 24 runs, eight stolen bases and eight doubles last season. Also returning is sophomore Allison Murphy who hit .299 in 2024 with 11 RBI, seven doubles and two home runs. Murphy had a team-high 31 runs and set a single-season school record with 25 stolen bases. Sophomore Dylan Reyer is back after hitting .308 with 11 RBI, 19 stolen bases and 21 runs scored.
Senior Victoria Seppala is back after being named First Team All-ECC in 2023. She hit .328 with 15 RBI and 28 runs scored in 2023. Sophomore Julianna Coluccio also returns after hitting .300 last season before suffering a season-ending injury. She had nine RBI and nine runs scored in 60 at bats last season. Graduate student Mia Harris is back after hitting .286 a year ago before suffering a season-ending injury. Seniors Madilyn Lula and Kimberlee Childs, junior Elizabeth Stark and sophomore Onnika DeBruhl return after combining for seven RBI and 14 runs scored in 2024.
Leading the returners on the pitching staff is junior Mackayla Secoda who went 6-7 last season with a team-best 3.57 ERA in 94.0 innings with 45 strikeouts. Junior Marina Provencio also returns after pitching 25.1 innings last season with a 1-3 record and 10 strikeouts.
Lorenzo also brings in a strong recruiting class highlighted by Division I Stonehill College transfer senior Skylar Brandemarte. The senior won 21 games in three years at Stonehill with a 4.06 ERA in 431.1 innings with 230 strikeouts. Also joining the Mavericks is freshman Talia Salanto who was named All-State and All-SCC First Team at Jonathan Law High School. Freshman Keira Jantz joins the Mavericks from Islip High School and was named All-County twice. Freshman Alexis Lemus joins Mercy from South Hills High School in California where she hit .412 during her senior year. Freshman Lauren McSweeney was named All-Division, All-County three times and League Pitcher of the Year three times at Islip High School. Freshman Jessica Fox joins Mercy from Morris Knolls High School where she was named Second Team All-Conference and freshman Carly Gaffney holds the school record for strikeouts and hits at Palmerton Area High School. Freshman Mikaela Mammola joins the Mavericks from Pawling High School and was named All-Section and All-League.
Mercy is coming off 3-2 and 4-0 losses at Adelphi on Sunday. The Mavericks were led by sophomore Allison Murphy and freshman Keira Jantz who both had an RBI. Mercy has been led at the plate by freshman Jessica Fox who is hitting .281 with a team-high-tying seven runs to go with three RBI. Sophomore Averi Miller is hitting a team-high .282 with a team-high eight RBI and 11 hits to go with a team-high-tying seven runs. Senior Madilyn Lula is hitting .241 with three RBI and senior Victoria Seppala has three RBI. Sophomore Allison Murphy has seven RBI and six runs scored and freshman Keira Jantz has six RBI. Senior Skylar Brandemarte leads the pitching staff with a 2-3 record, a 1.41 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 39.2 innings pitched. Freshman Lauren McSweeney is 2-0 in the circle with a 1.31 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 16.0 innings and junior Mackayla Secoda is 1-2 with a 4.11 ERA in 15.1 innings with 13 strikeouts.
Brandemarte, Miller and McSweeney were named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday. McSweeney was named ECC Rookie of the Week last week and graduate student Mia Harris, Lula, Brandemarte and freshman Mikaela Mammola were named to the Honor Roll. Freshman Alexis Lemus was named ECC Player and Rookie of the Week on March 3rd and Secoda was tabbed Pitcher of the Week. Jantz and Brandemarte received Honor Roll recognition.
Scouting the Dolphins
Staten Island is coming off a 5-2 win over Dominican on Thursday. The Dolphins were picked sixth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 15-31 last season. Staten Island has been led by Anissa Acosta who is batting a team-high .447 with 10 RBI, 12 runs and seven doubles. Aileen Balderas has a team-high 12 RBI and 18 runs with two home runs and a .281 average. Bridget Motley has 11 RBI and Olivia Wanser has nine RBI. Marena Grenier is 3-1 in the circle with a 1.80 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. Alexandra Frenza is 1-2 with a 1.91 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 22.0 innings and Kennedie Ruth is 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in 27.2 innings with 26 strikeouts.
Next Game
Mercy hosts AIC for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22nd at 12 p.m.
