RINDGE, N.H. – Powered by a complete game three-hitter from sophomore Lauren McSweeney (Islip, N.Y./Islip) and a combined six RBI from junior Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View) and freshman Emma Jackson (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro), the No. 8 seeded Mercy University Softball Team earned a 6-1 win at No. 1 seeded Franklin Pierce University in Game One of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship on Friday afternoon at Melissa Bisaccia Field.
The Mavericks (26-18) earn their second NCAA Tournament win in program history and defeat the Ravens (40-11) for the first time in four all-time meetings. Mercy advances to tomorrow's winner's bracket and will face the winner of Caldwell/Assumption at 12 p.m. at Franklin Pierce. The Ravens will face the loser of Caldwell/Assumption tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Jackson reached on an error by the shortstop and later scored on a Miller RBI single.
The Ravens tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning.
The Mavericks retook the lead in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to take a 4-1 lead. Sophomore Mikaela Mammola (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) led off the inning with a single and scored on a Jackson double to left center, making it 2-1. Junior Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) then reached on an error before Miller singled home Jackson and Murphy to make it 4-1.
Mercy tacked on two runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-1 lead. Juniors Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) and Onnika DeBruhl (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) singled with one out. After a strikeout made two outs in the inning, Jackson singled home Reyer to make it 5-1. Murphy then singled to load the bases before Miller drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring DeBruhl to make it 6-1.
McSweeney retired the Ravens in order in the seventh inning, giving Mercy their first NCAA Tournament win since 2017.
Mercy was led by McSweeney who tossed a complete game with three hits allowed and four strikeouts to earn her 10th win of the season. Miller went 2-for-3 with a game-high four RBI and Jackson went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Murphy went 2-for-3 with a run and Reyer and DeBruhl went 1-for-3 with a run. Freshman Madelyn Perrone (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) went 1-for-3 and junior Julianna Coluccio (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Regional) and Mammola both went 1-for-4.
Franklin Pierce was led by Charlit Hartenstein who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Georgia Clough allowed five earned runs in 5.2 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 11 hits and no errors, and Franklin Pierce had three hits and two errors.
Head Coach Jaime Lorenzo and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face the winner of Caldwell/Assumption at 12 p.m.
