Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. – Powered by a two-run home run from freshman Kendall Meeks (Guysville, Ohio / Alexander) and three hits from senior Julie Gross (Port Monmouth, N.J. / Middletown North), the No. 1 seed Mercy College softball team earned a 5-2 victory over No. 4 seed LIU Post in an East Coast Conference (ECC) Championship First Round game on Thursday afternoon.
The Mavericks (30-13) take game one in the ECC Championship, while the Pioneers fall to 24-25 overall. Mercy wins their first game in the ECC Tournament since the 2011 season.
Meeks went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored for the afternoon. Gross went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Junior Allie Pellizzaro (Victoria, British Columbia / Eastern Arizona CC) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Senior Janelle Wade (West Chester, Pa. / Henderson) and junior Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif. / Southwestern CC) both recorded two hits.
The Pioneers were led by Kayla McCoy, who went 2-for-4 with one run scored. Gianna Gatto went 2-for-3 on the afternoon.
LIU Post was able to get on the board first in the contest, as McCoy put the Pioneers on the board when she capitalized off a wild pitch. Neither team were able to score in the second inning as both teams were quick on the defensive end and did not allow any scoring opportunities.
The Mavericks were able to break the silence in the bottom of the third inning. Pellizzaro started the inning with a single to shortstop to get on base. A fielding error in the Pioneers field would allow Pellizzaro to advance to second. Next up was Lemus, who singled to right field to load the bases. An RBI single to left field from Gross was able to put the Mavericks on the board, allowing Pellizzaro to round the bases.
The Pioneers were unable to get on the board in the top of the fourth inning despite recording a hit. The Mavericks had another offensive inning in the bottom of the fourth, when a sacrifice fly to center field from Lemus allowed senior Katiana Golino (Carteret, N.J. / Carteret) to add a run for the Mavericks. Despite two outs on the board, Gross was able to handle the pressure and singled to left field for her second RBI of the contest, once again bringing Pellizzaro home. The Mavericks closed out the fourth inning holding a 3-2 lead over the Pioneers.
Meeks eventually put the game away for the Mavericks in the bottom of the fifth inning when she blasted a two-run home run to right field, giving the Mavericks a 5-2 lead. The Pioneers were unable to score for the remainder of the contest, despite recording two hits.
Sophomore McKaily Cusamano (Monroe, Mich. / Monroe) tossed seven innings for the Mavericks, recording five strikeouts for the victory. Hannah Olshevski tossed six innings for the Pioneers and struck out two batters.
Provided by the Mercy Sports Information Department.
