The Lightning, who were off to one of their best starts in program history after sweeping Briarcliffe College yesterday to improve to 5-1, were out-hit 28-6 by the Mavericks today as they fell to 5-3.
Mercy, a member of the East Coast Conference, improved to 6-7 with the two victories today.
Game 1:
Both teams' respective leadoff batters singled and came around to score during both teams' at-bats, as Mercy's Krissy Lacik scored on a sacrifice fly by Paige Cauley in the top of the inning only to have GBC freshman Ashley Zaccaria come around to tie it in the bottom half as a result of a throw to second base on a stolen base by junior Danie Rice.
However, the Lightning could do no more offensively as the Mavericks tallied another run in the top of the fourth and then put the game out of reach with four runs in the top of the sixth inning to win comfortably, 6-1.
Mercy's freshman right hander Mary Sieber (4-1) picked up a complete game victory, allowing just three hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out three.
Kelly Bentson (2-for-3) and Cauley (1-for-2, BB) each drove in two runs while Lacik (3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Alicia Martin (3-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) each collected three hits.
GBC freshman pitcher Roni Peters took the loss as she went 4.1 innings and allowed five hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks in 20 batters faced. Junior left-handed reliever Sadie Jones came on to try to close out the game, but walked two and was tagged for three hits and three earned runs in .2 innings of work. Senior Heather Draper took the hill for the final two innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out three.
Zaccaria led the Lightning offensively with a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a walk and a run scored. Draper also picked up a base-hit in her only at-bat of the afternoon.
Sophomore right-hander Leanne Miller, after striking out 10 batters yesterday in a complete game, shut-out victory over Briarcliffe, struggled against the high-powered Mavericks' bats in her game two start this afternoon, surrendering five earned runs in two innings of work before taking a seat in the third inning.
Ashley Antosh, another sophomore pitcher came on in relief but was not effective either, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk. Junior Shannon O'Hara pitched the fifth and final inning and allowed two earned runs, walked one batter and struck out two.
Mercy tallied three runs in the first, third and fourth innings, and then added two in the fifth for good measure, as the game was halted because of the eight-run deficit rule with the Mavericks ahead, 11-1 after five innings.
The Lightning managed one run in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior Ashley Paige's ground-out to second base brought home Peters, who had doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Peters, and juniors Danie Rice and Shannon Graves led the Lightning with one hit apiece.
Mercy's Tayla Gardner (1-4) picked up her first win of the season with a complete-game effort, allowing just one earned run on three hits while walking none and striking out six.
GBC was outhit 16-3 and committed two errors en-route to a lopsided, 11-1 loss in game two.
