MELBOURNE, Fla. – Powered by the go-ahead home run in the fifth inning from junior Julianna Coluccio (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Regional) in game one, the Mercy University Softball Team earned a 6-5 win over Post University before falling 11-3 in the nightcap to Purdue University Northwest on Saturday night in Florida.
The Mavericks (1-3) earn their first win of the season, while the Eagles (0-5) remain winless on the year and the Pride (11-7) have won two games in a row.
Game 1: Mercy 6, Post 5
Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Junior Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) led off the inning with a single and later scored.
The Mavericks added a run in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Mikaela Mammola (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) singled and stole second before scoring on a junior Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View) RBI single.
Post scored five runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. The Mavericks responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 5-5. Sophomore Jessica Fox (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls), junior Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) and Mammola singled to load the bases. Murphy then drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Fox to make it 5-3. Freshman Emma Jackson (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) then doubled home both Reyer and Mammola to tie the game at 5-5.
Freshman Juliana Abbene (Massapequa, N.Y./Farmingdale) held the Eagles scoreless in the top of the fifth. Coluccio gave Mercy the lead for good with a solo home run to lead off the inning, giving the Mavericks a 6-5 lead.
Abbene held Post scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings to give Mercy the 6-5 win.
Mercy was led by Coluccio who went 1-for-3 with a home run and one RBI and by Jackson who went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Murphy and Miller both went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Fox and Mammola both went 2-for-3. Reyer went 1-for-3 with a run and senior Mackayla Secoda (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) pitched 3.0 innings with five runs allowed to take a no-decision. Abbene pitched 4.0 shutout innings with just one hit allowed and seven strikeouts to earn her first collegiate win.
Post was led by Nyla Sapia who went 1-for-4 with three RBI. Katelyn Lipsky allowed five earned runs in a complete game to take the loss.
Mercy had nine hits and two errors and Post had five hits and one error.
Game 2: Purdue Northwest 11, Mercy 3 (5 Innings)
Purdue Northwest took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an Amanda DeBoer sacrifice fly.
The Pride added six runs on seven hits in the second inning to take a 7-0 lead.
Purdue Northwest tacked on two runs in the third and one in the fourth to take a 10-0 lead.
Mercy scored three runs in the top of the fifth to make it 10-3. Reyer singled to lead off the inning, junior Onnika DeBruhl (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) walked, and Mammola singled to load the bases. Murphy then singled through the right side, scoring DeBruhl and Reyer to make it 10-2. Jackson then singled home Mammola to make it 10-3.
Charli Westerfield tripled with one out in the bottom of the fifth and scored on a DeBoer RBI single to give Purdue Northwest the 11-3 win via the run-rule.
Mercy was led by Murphy who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Jackson went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Fox went 2-for-3. Reyer and Mammola both went 1-for-2 with a run and sophomore Lauren McSweeney (Islip, N.Y./Islip) allowed six runs in 1.0 inning to take the loss.
Purdue Northwest was led by Gracie Jensen who went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Kendra Steinberg allowed three runs in 4.0 innings to earn the win.
Mercy had six hits and one error and Purdue Northwest had 14 hits and no errors.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Monday, March 16th when they face Saint Anselm at 10 a.m. and Minot State at 12:15 p.m. in Florida.
