DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by complete game wins from senior Mackayla Secoda (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) and sophomore Lauren McSweeney (Islip, N.Y./Islip), the Mercy University Softball Team earned 2-1 and 1-0 wins over ECC foe Molloy University on Monday afternoon at Smith Field.
The Mavericks (23-15, 12-6 ECC) have won three straight games and win three out of the four meetings this season with the Lions (14-32, 4-12 ECC). Mercy has secured their sixth straight ECC Championship berth.
Game 1: Mercy 2, Molloy 1
Molloy took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk by Mariah Cepeda.
Mercy tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the second inning. Junior Julianna Coluccio (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Regional) led off the inning with a double and later scored on a junior Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) bases-loaded walk.
The Mavericks took a 2-1 lead in the third inning. Junior Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) walked to lead off the inning and Coluccio doubled to put runners on second and third. After a pitching change by Molloy, freshman Madelyn Perrone (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Murphy to give Mercy a 2-1 lead.
Secoda held the Lions scoreless after the first inning to give Mercy the 2-1 game-one win.
Mercy was led by Secoda who allowed no earned runs in seven innings with six strikeouts and four hits allowed to earn her ninth win of the season. Coluccio went 2-for-3 with a run and Reyer went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Sophomore Jessica Fox (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) went 1-for-2.
Molloy was led by Cepeda who went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Ava Zicchinelli allowed two runs in 2.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had four hits and one error and Molloy had four hits and no errors.
Game 2: Mercy 1, Molloy 0
The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning when Mercy scored a run to take a 1-0 lead. Junior Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View) singled and later scored on a Perrone RBI single with two outs to give Mercy a 1-0 lead.
McSweeney held Molloy scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings, giving Mercy the 1-0 game-two win and the sweep.
Mercy was led by McSweeney who allowed just four hits and struck out two, needing just 73 pitches to toss the complete game, earning her eighth win of the season. Miller went 2-for-3 with a run and Perrone went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Sophomore Mikaela Mammola (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) went 1-for-3.
Molloy was led by Skyler Secondino who went 1-for-2 and pitched a complete game with one run allowed to take the loss.
Mercy and Molloy both had four hits and one error.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, May 2nd when they play at CSI at 12 & 2 p.m.
