4/14/26
 
WEST WINDSOR TWP., NJ – The high-flying Lackawanna College softball offense was brought crashing back down to earth in a doubleheader at Mercer County CC on Tuesday afternoon, as the Mustangs swept the Falcons by scores of 7-2 and 4-0 in a crucial Region XIX DII doubleheader in Jersey.
 
The Falcons (30-11, 13-3) came in amongst the top-five highest-scoring offenses in the country, but it was the Mustangs (27-3, 12-2) that kept Lackawanna off balance throughout the doubleheader with excellent pitching and timely hitting, as the defending region champs took the first doubleheader of the year between the two top teams in Region XIX.
 
Game one was a tale of missed chances for the Falcons on offense, while Mercer made Lackawanna pay on the other side. After the Falcons wasted two two-out baserunners in the first inning, Mercer responded with a two-run homer with two outs to go ahead 2-0 after one inning.
 
Lackawanna wasted a leadoff double from Gracie Sokol (Belle Vernon, PA) in the second, but, after starter Mekenzie Revere (Ansonia, CT) retired the side in order in the home half, the Falcons finally found their stride in the top of the third.
 
Ayahna Fleisher (Duncannon, PA) doubled to lead the inning off and advanced to third on a passed ball. A walk put runners on the corners, and Riley Knott (Clarks Summit, PA) traded a ground out for a run to put Lackawanna on the board. Later, a two-out double from Mackenzie Adolfson (Throop, PA) scored the tying run and gave the Falcons a little momentum heading into the home half.
 
Revere pitched around a two-out single to get a fly out to right, and Madison Pirolli (Southampton, PA) singled to center with one out in the top of the fourth. Lackawanna couldn't cash her in, however, making two-straight outs and stranding her at second. Mercer would make the Falcons pay in the bottom frame.
 
After a leadoff walk and a strikeout, back-to-back singles loaded the bases. Revere got a huge strikeout to put two outs on the board, but the Mustangs responded with three-straight two-out hits, which included back-to-back doubles, scoring five runs in the onslaught to go ahead 7-2 after four innings.
 
Kyleah Edwards (Taylor, PA) reached on an error to lead off the fifth, and looked to have stolen second base with the heart of the order up, but she rounded the bag too hard and came off, allowing the Mustangs to apply the tag for the crucial first out. The Falcons wouldn't recover from there.
 
One last flurry from Lackawanna came in the top of the seventh, as back-to-back singles with one out, followed by a two-out walk, loaded the bases for Adolfson. It wasn't meant to be, however, as she grounded back to the pitcher to strand the runners and end game one.
 
The Falcons had eight hits and didn't make any fielding errors, even turning a double play on a relay from the outfield, but they stranded nine baserunners. Fleisher had a pair of hits and a run scored, while Edwards also scored a run. Knott and Adolfson each had RBIs. Revere was effective, apart from her tough fourth inning, giving up seven runs on ten hits in six innings with four strikeouts.
 
The offensive production nose-dived in game two, as the Falcons were held to just three hits and four total baserunners. Mercer scored two in the first, then hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third that seemed to take the wind out of the sails for the Falcons.
 
The game started well for Lackawanna, as Fleisher ripped a double to left to reach, and a walk for Edwards put two on to start the game. Edwards stole second and Fleisher advanced with one out to put runners in scoring position, but the Falcons wasted their chance and stranded the pair.
 
Mercer responded with a one-out walk, followed by an RBI double to center to get on the board. An RBI ground out made it 2-0, and the Mustangs had a single, but the batter got overzealous on the paths, and the Falcons threw her out to end the inning.
 
The game was quiet until the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Fleisher gave up a walk, and then Mercer immediately hit a two-run homer to right field to double the lead at 4-0. Lackawanna had just two baserunners the rest of the way, failing to advance Mia Scalese (Moscow, PA) after a two-out single in the fifth, as well as Sokol with a two-out single in the seventh inning.
 
Fleisher struck out seven in six innings, giving up four runs on six hits, but just didn't get the run support she needed. She had one of the three hits, while Sokol and Scalese provided the other two.
 
It's the first time all season that Lackawanna didn't at least spilt a doubleheader, and it's the first time since March 19^th that Lackawanna failed to score a run.
 
The Falcons are now 13-3 in the Region XIX DII standings, firmly in second. They'll look to bounce back with a non-region doubleheader on Thursday, April 16^th, at Frederick CC in Maryland. First pitch is set for 3:00pm ET.