Story used with information from Daniel Webster College
Nashua, NH – Junior Marissa Mercier (N. Smithfield, R.I.) was 6-for-8 as the Rivier College Softball team split the crosstown doubleheader against Daniel Webster College this afternoon at Eagle Field. DWC took game one 8-6 before Rivier responded with a 20-hit attack as part of a 16-5 victory in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Eagles (8-11) bounced back from an early 1-0 deficit to build an 8-2 lead and then held on as the Raiders (17-5) rallied with four runs in the seventh and left the tying run at the plate.
Mercier led the Raiders with a 3 for 4 outing knocking in three, while Catherine Roy (Dracut, Mass.) and Hillary Tarr (N. Easton, Mass.) had a pair of hits. Karen Waterman (Rutland, Vt.) added two hits and knocked in one.
A Mercier RBI single put Rivier up in the top of the first but the Eagles answered with two runs on three hits in the second with RBI singles from Courtney Brennan (Beverly, Mass.) and Skye Ferland (Eden, Vt.).
Mercier tied it in the top of the third with her second single of the day but a Samantha Hill (Hudson, N.H.) two-run double and a Heather Strong (Palmer, Mass.) RBI single in the bottom of the frame pushed the lead to 5-2 for DWC.
RBI singles from Brennan and Strong in the fifth made it 7-2 and a Lauren Chesnulevich triple would score Amy Waller (Berlin, Mass.) in the sixth.
Rivier would plate four runs on five hits in the seventh but Eagle pitcher Amanda Wilson (Merrimack, N.H.) ended the rally with her sixth strikeout to the end it.
Wilson (5-5) allowed five earned runs on 10 hits, walking just one with the six whiffs.
Lauren Beatty (Sherman, Conn.) was touched for her first loss (6-1) allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits, walking four and striking out three.
In the nightcap, both Mercier (2 RBI), Nicole Peacock (2 RBI) and Waterman (1 RBI) had three hits each and Kirstie Clark (Brentwood, N.H.) knocked in three runs as the Raiders broke open a 5-5 game after four with a five-run fifth and five more in the seventh.
Roy, Clark, Tarr, Amanda Thornton (Hanover, Mass.), and Samantha Verney (Goffstown, N.H.) finished with two hits. Waterman added a triple.
Sarah Durocher (Keene, N.H.) had three hits including a double and knocked in three for the Eagles, while Waller was 3 for 4 scoring twice and knocking in one. Hill added a pair of RBI.
After trading runs in the first, DWC took a 2-1 lead in the third on a Hill RBI single.
Rivier put up four runs (three unearned) in the fourth on four hits as the Eagles committed two key errors. Mercier aided the Raiders with a two-run single.
DWC tied it in the bottom of the fourth on a Waller RBI double and Durocher's two-run double for a 5-5 game, but Rivier erupted for five in the fifth on five hits including a RBI triple from Tarr and a Mercier RBI double to take control.
Beatty earned the win (7-1) in relief of Clark who started. Beatty would finish allowing two hits over the final three innings, striking out one.
Durocher took the loss (3-6), striking out three and walking one.
The Eagles host Green Mountain on Monday beginning at 3:30 p.m. Rivier visits Norwich on Friday for a GNAC doubleheader at 3:00 p.m.
