STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (Apr. 22, 2025) – Powered by a team-high four RBI on the day from graduate student Mia Harris (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) and senior Victoria Seppala (Abington, Mass./Abington), the Mercy University softball team earned 7-6 and 8-4 wins over ECC foe College of Staten Island on Tuesday afternoon at the CSI Softball Complex.

The Mavericks (20-18, 10-6 ECC) have won six games in a row for the first time since 2018 and sweep the season series with the Dolphins (18-20, 6-12 ECC) for the first time. Mercy now has 20 wins in a season for the first time since 2019 and have their most ECC wins since 2023. The Mavericks have secured their fifth straight ECC Championship berth.

Game 1: Mercy 7, Staten Island 6

Staten Island took a 4-0 lead in the first inning on an Aileen Balderas RBI single and an Olivia Wanser three-run home run.

Mercy inched closer with two runs in the third inning to make it 4-2. Sophomore Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) singled to lead off the inning and stole second before scoring after Harris reached on a fielder's choice following a sacrifice bunt. Seppala then tripled to right center, scoring Harris to make it 4-2.

The Mavericks tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth. Freshman Keira Jantz (Islip, N.Y./Islip) singled with two outs and sophomore Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View) doubled Jantz home to make it 4-3. Freshman Jessica Fox (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) then singled home Miller to tie the game at 4-4. Staten Island regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a Wanser RBI double.

Mercy scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-5 lead. Reyer singled to lead off the inning and sophomore Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) reached on an error. Harris then doubled home both Reyer and Murphy and scored after an error by the catcher, giving Mercy a 7-5 lead.

Staten Island recorded a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-6, but senior Skylar Brandemarte (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Stonehill College) threw out the tying run at home to end the game, giving Mercy the 7-6 game one win.

Mercy was led by Harris who went 1-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Seppala went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Jantz went 1-for-2. Miller went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Fox went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Reyer went 2-for-4 with two runs and Brandemarte allowed six runs in 7.0 innings with four strikeouts to earn her 11th win of the season.

Staten Island was led by Wanser who went 2-for-3 with four RBI. Kennedie Ruth allowed seven runs in 5.0 innings to take the loss.

Mercy had nine hits and no errors and Staten Island had 11 hits and two errors.

Game 2: Mercy 8, Staten Island 4

After a scoreless first inning, Mercy scored five runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. Fox reached on a fielder's choice and with two outs in the inning senior Madilyn Lula (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) and Reyer singled to load the bases. Murphy then hit a bases-clearing double to left center, giving Mercy a 3-0 lead. Harris then singled home Murphy to make it 4-0 and Seppala brought home Harris on a triple to right field, giving the Mavericks a 5-0 lead. Staten Island scored two runs in the bottom of the second on an Anissa Acosta double to make it 5-2.

Mercy scored a run in the third inning to take a 6-2 lead. Jantz doubled to lead off the inning and Miller walked. Miller and Jantz then stole second and third with Jantz scoring after an error by the catcher.

Staten Island scored a run in the fourth inning on a Bridget Motley home run to make it 6-3.

Mercy tacked on two runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-3 lead. Reyer walked and Murphy singled to lead off the inning. A Harris sacrifice bunt moved Murphy to second and Reyer to third before Seppala singled Reyer and Murphy home to make it 8-3. The Dolphins made it 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth after an Amanda Stalker RBI single.

Junior Mackayla Secoda (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) tossed a scoreless seventh inning to give Mercy the 8-4 game two win and the sweep.

Mercy was led by Murphy who went 2-for-5 with three RBI and by Seppala who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Harris went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Reyer went 2-for-2 with two runs. Jantz went 1-for-3 with a run and Miller went 1-for-3. Freshman Mikaela Mammola (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) went 1-for-1 and Lula went 1-for-2 with a run. Freshman Lauren McSweeney (Islip, N.Y./Islip) allowed four runs in 5.1 innings to earn her fifth win of the season. Secoda pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn her first career save.

Staten Island was led by Acosta who went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Marena Grenier allowed five runs in 1.2 innings to take the loss.

Mercy had 11 hits and one error and Staten Island had nine hits and one error.

Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday when they play at Molloy at 12 p.m.