RINDGE, N.H.—
Maddy Bland goes 3-for-4 at the plate and drives in three, as the Assumption University softball team topped Mercy University 7-1 on Day Two of the NCAA Division II Softball East Regional, Saturday afternoon at Melissa Bisaccia Field on the campus of Franklin Pierce University.
THE BASICS
Score: Assumption University 7, Mercy University 1
Records: Greyhounds (32-25, 21-15 NE10) | Mavericks (25-19, 13-7 ECC)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Assumption struck first, plating two runs in the top of the third inning.
Bianca Vincequere led off the frame with a single to left center before
Jaida Mills reached on a fielder's choice.
Kaitlyn Cahill followed with a base hit to right, putting runners on first and second with one out. With two away,
Maddy Bland came through with a clutch single to right, scoring Mills and Cahill to give the Greyhounds a 2-0 lead.
Mercy threatened in the bottom half, loading the bases with nobody out, but
Kaelin Waldron worked out of the jam. Waldron induced a flyout to left before Vincequere threw out the tagging runner at the plate.
Ella Leduc then secured the final out of the inning, catching a pop-up at second base.
The Greyhounds added to their lead in the fourth, as Vincequere drove in
Jaiden Tonucci with a flare single to left. The Mavericks threatened again in the bottom of the inning, but Waldron stranded the bases loaded by getting a soft line drive to
Emma Bloom at shortstop.
Assumption made it 4-0 after Bland tripled to right and scored on a
Bella Mara sacrifice fly. Bland stayed hot at the plate, later driving in Cahill with a double to the left-center gap. Tonucci nearly ended the game early with a two-run double to right, scoring
Nadia Zach and Mara to extend the lead to 7-0.
Mercy scored once in the bottom of the seventh, but Assumption closed out the 7-1 victory. Waldron improved to 4-0 in the playoffs, pitching 6.0 scoreless innings and striking out a pair, lowering her ERA to 1.85 since the beginning of the NE10 Playoffs.
UP NEXT:
- Assumption vs. Mercy/Franklin Pierce Winner, Sunday, May 16, 11:00 am
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