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Box Score 2
DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. - The D'Youville softball team continued East Coast Conference play Friday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader at Mercy by dropping the first game, 6-1, before D'Youville's offense rebounded in game two with an 8-6 victory. The split moves the Saints to 17-11 overall on the season and 6-8 in league play.
The Saints struggled to muster up any offense in the opener. D'Youville was held scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when senior Maddy Pepke scored on a passed ball. Pepke's run cut the Saints' deficit to three runs at 4-1.
The Mavericks built an early advantage with a pair of runs in each of the second and third innings and tacked on two more in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Junior Hannah Bardeen paced the Saints at the plate in the opener with a 2-for-3 game.
The D'Youville bats woke up in the rematch as the Saints plated three runs in the top of the first inning courtesy of a three-run home run from Bardeen. Bardeen's trip around the bases was her fifth of the season and third in her last eight games.
After Mercy (7-28, 5-7 ECC) tied the game in the bottom of the third inning, sophomore Ava Miller grabbed the lead right back for the Saints when she stole home as Pepke advanced to second on the double steal. Junior Jamie Bower also advanced home on a double steal in the sixth inning to put the Saints ahead 5-3 but Miller was caught stealing second on the play.
The Mavericks wouldn't go away, plating two runs in the home half of the sixth inning but the Saints countered once more in the seventh inning with three runs of their own. D'Youville's big inning was highlighted by freshman Emily Pryzybysz rounding the bases on a four-base error via the Maverick third baseman. Freshman Laura Beck also advanced home on the play.
Freshman Sarah Parzych (W, 8-3) got the starting nod in game two for the Saints … In 6.0 innings of work, Parzych struck out two and surrendered four earned runs on 12 hits … Freshman Cassie Crerar picked up her first save of the season, tossing the seventh inning in relief of Parzych.
Pepke's 4-for-5 game led the Saints at the plate … She was followed up by Miller (2-for-3, RBI), Bardeen (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), and freshman Gianna Adamo (2-for-4). Pepke's four-hit game was her first of the season, first since a 4-for-4 game in the 12-11 win over Queens (N.Y.) last season, and it was her fourth four-hit game during her D'Youville career.
The Saints will make their way across the Hudson River to take on St. Thomas Aquinas tomorrow afternoon. Game times for the ECC doubleheader are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m.
