STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Powered by a team-high three RBI on the day from junior Dylan Reyer (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) and a team-high five hits from junior Averi Miller (Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View), the Mercy University Softball Team earned a 7-3 win in game one before falling 6-5 in nine innings in game two at ECC foe College of Staten Island on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (24-16, 13-7 ECC) win three out of the four meetings with the Dolphins (13-21, 8-12 ECC) this season. Mercy now has their most wins in a season since 2019. The Mavericks have secured the No. 2 seed in next week's ECC Championship and will face No. 3 seed D'Youville in their first game of the championship on Thursday, May 7th at St. Thomas Aquinas College at 3 p.m.
Game 1: Mercy 7, Staten Island 3
Mercy took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Sophomore Jessica Fox (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) walked to lead off the inning and scored on a Reyer triple to left center. Reyer later scored in the inning to make it 2-0. CSI scored a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-1.
The Mavericks added a run in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Junior Julianna Coluccio (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek Regional) doubled and later scored after Reyer reached on an error by the second baseman.
CSI scored two runs in the fourth inning to tie the game at 3-3.
Mercy retook the lead with two runs in the fifth inning. Miller and Coluccio singled to put runners on first and third. Miller scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3 and Fox later singled home Coluccio to make it 5-3.
The Mavericks scored two insurance runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead. Sophomore Mikaela Mammola (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) led off the inning with a single and later scored to make it 6-3. Miller later doubled home junior Allison Murphy (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) to make it 7-3.
Senior Mackayla Secoda (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) held the Dolphins scoreless for the final two innings, giving Mercy the 7-3 game-one win.
Mercy was led by Reyer who went 1-for-4 with two RBI and by Miller who went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Coluccio went 3-for-4 with two runs and Fox went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Freshman Madelyn Perrone (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) went 1-for-4 and Mammola went 1-for-3 with a run. Senior Marina Provencio (Santa Clarita, Calif./Saugus) allowed one run in 3.0 innings to take a no-decision. Freshman Mya Marelli (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead) allowed one earned run in 2.0 innings to earn her first collegiate win.
CSI was led by Abbie Morris who went 2-for-3. Kennedie Ruth allowed six earned runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss.
Mercy had 11 hits and three errors and CSI had three hits and two errors.
Game 2: Staten Island 6, Mercy 5 (9 Innings)
Mercy took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Freshman Emma Jackson (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) singled to lead off the game and Miller doubled. Coluccio grounded out to shortstop, scoring Jackson, to make it 1-0. Reyer then singled home Miller to make it 2-0. CSI tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the first on a two-run double from Aliveah Warner.
The Mavericks took a 4-2 lead in the second inning. Sophomore Alexis Lemus (Chino, Calif./South Hills) walked and scored on a Jackson triple to make it 3-2. Murphy then singled home Jackson to make it 4-2.
Mercy added a run in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. Coluccio singled and later scored on a Perrone RBI single.
CSI scored two runs in the third and a run in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.
The Dolphins won the game in the bottom of the ninth when Madilyn Paul reached on an error by the pitcher and later scored on a wild pitch, giving CSI the 6-5 walk-off win in nine innings.
Mercy was led by Jackson who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and by Reyer who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Miller went 2-for-4 with a run and Murphy went 1-for-5 with an RBI. Coluccio went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Perrone went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Lemus went 1-for-3 with a double and Mammola went 1-for-4. Freshman Juliana Abbene (Massapequa, N.Y./Farmingdale) allowed four runs in 3.0 innings to take a no-decision. Sophomore Carly Gaffney (Palmerton, Pa./Palmerton Area) pitched 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Secoda allowed an unearned run to take the loss.
CSI was led by Warner who went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Marena Grenier pitched a complete game to earn the win.
Mercy had 11 hits and two errors and CSI had eight hits and one error.
