Slippery Rock, Pa. - Mercyhurst Softball grabbed two big wins in conference play Wednesday afternoon as they defeated The Rock. The Lakers began with an 8-5 victory which included some late-inning heroics and then followed that up with a 12-0 final to move to 12-10 on the year and 4-2 in the PSAC
How it Happened
Game One
Mercyhurst fired the opening salvo in the first game with a single off the bat of Allison Dejidas bringing in Madison Fry to make it 1-0. It wasn't until the fifth inning that they were able to crack the scoreboard again with two runs coming across as the Lakers took a 3-0 lead.
Slippery Rock managed to put together a strong bottom of the fifth as they were able to score four runs to take their first lead of the game with a two-RBI double leading off the offense for The Rock. It looked like Slippery Rock had claimed the momentum as they were able to take their 4-3 lead into the seventh as they sat down Mercyhurst quietly in the sixth.
The final stanza went a bit differently for the Lakers as they plated five runs to reclaim the advantage, going into the bottom of the seventh up 8-4. Jessica Clark got the scoring started with a two-run single to centerfield to make it 5-4.
She was followed by Kacie Irwin who hit a single to left to plate Clark before Madison Fry wreaked havoc on the bases. Fry singled up the middle with Alexandra Acosta-Reyes scoring on the play. The Laker centerfielder then stole second, drawing the throw from the catcher which allowed Irwin to come home and make it a four-run game. The Rock did manage to add one to their tally in their half of the final frame, but it was not enough as Mercyhurst took game one.
Game Two
The backend of the doubleheader proved to be all Mercyhurst as they won by a final of 12-0, ending things in the fifth via the mercy rule. They started the game strong with four runs in the first inning. Dejidas once again got the scoring started with a double to left field to score both Fry and Cheyenne Hindman.
Dejidas came up big once again in the top of the fourth with her plating two more runs. After the Lakers managed to already see two runners cross home in the canto, the Mercyhurst right fielder did her job in the box. On a 1-1 pitch, she smoked one through the hole on the right side with no Slippery Rock infielders able to get a glove on it as Mercyhurst extended their lead to 9-0.
Madison Fry added on even more in the top of the fifth to make it a dozen-run lead for the Lakers. After looking at ball one, she laced a double down the left field line with Marisa Cartellone and Jessica Clark scoring to add the cherry on top to a very successful day.
Highlights
Fry led the team in hits, going 5-10 on the day with a pair of doubles in game two while scoring three times and adding five RBIs to her line. Allison Dejidas was second on the team in hits with four to go along with one double and five RBIs, four of them coming in the 12-0 victory. Morgan Hilty picked up the win in both games today, moving to 6-4 on the season. She gave up four hits in 2.2 innings in relief in game one and followed that up with a complete game in the second. In game two, she allowed seven hits and no walks with one K to her line and 10 groundouts.
Next Game
Mercyhurst returns home for their next two PSAC series as they play UPJ on Friday, March 31st, with start times of 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. before beginning April the following day with IUP at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. on the Mercyhurst Softball Field.
