Softball Celebrates Senior Day With Sweep of Mount Saint Vincent

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. —  Highlighted by senior Jessica Mecham's (West Jordan, Utah/Copper Hills) two-hit shutout and walk-off hits by classmates Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) and Jaden Mecham (West Jordan, Utah/Copper Hills), the St. Joseph's University Brooklyn softball team defeated the College of Mount Saint Vincent, 8-0 and 10-2, both in six innings, on Sunday afternoon in their regular-season finale.

With the wins, the Bears improved their overall record to 22-12, their best since joining the Skyline Conference, and clinched the No. 5 seed for the 2022 Skyline Championship with a conference mark of 10-8.

Game 1: St. Joseph's 8, Mount Saint Vincent 0

The Bears jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs after a single by Bella Gomez (Whittier, Calif./Sonora) and a double by Sofia Logreco (San Diego, Calif./Mission Hills) both scoring on separate passed balls. A Gomez bunt single on a squeeze attempt in the second pushed the Bears lead to 3-0.

The early lead was all starter Jessica Mecham needed as she tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out three and walking none for her 21st career victory in the circle.

St. Joseph's carried the 3-0 lead into the sixth before breaking it open to reach the run rule. Senior Vivian Tomovich (San Diego, Calif./Serra) led off the four-hit, five-run frame with a single, with classmates Alexis Buchanan (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley) knocking a two-run single and Hartwig walking off the game with an RBI single. 

Hartwig, Gomez, and Heinsch all batted 2-for-4 at the dish. Gomez scored a pair of runs, Heinsh drove in one and scored one. Buchanan finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 10, Mount Saint Vincent 2

The Bears saw their first deficit of the day after the CMSV scored one in the first, but SJBK got it back quickly in the bottom half taking advantage of a Dolphin miscue to tie the game at 1-all.

Bella Hurtado (San Diego, Calif./Olympian) cleared the fence in the second with a two-run blast for her first collegiate home run that put St. Joseph's up for good. A Heinsh two-out triple later in the frame extended the lead to 4-1.

After the teams traded runs in the fifth, the Bears piled on a quintet of runs in the sixth to reach the run rule. A Gomez single scored Gabriella Salvador (Staten Island, N.Y./New Dorp) who doubled earlier. Buchanan drew a bases-loaded walk to add another run and Hartwig brought home two more with a two-out single for a 9-2 lead. A Tayler Faraguna (San Diego, Calif./San Pasqual) single loaded the bases to set the stage for senior Jaden Mecham who punched a single up the middle to clinch the Senior Day sweep.

Seniors Allison Kaspar (Miller Place, N.Y./Rocky Point) and Salvador combined to strike out three and hold the Dolphins to five hits; Salvador earning the win and improving to 3-1 in the circle.

Heinsch and Lauren Van Der Kamp (Sacramento, Calif./Rosemont) both knocked two hits, a double and a triple, with Heinsch driving in a pair and scoring once and Van Der Kamp scoring twice. Hartwig belted two hits and collected two more RBI on the day. Gomez rounded out four multi-hit efforts going 2-of-3 with three runs scored, a RBI, walk and stolen base, and two web gems defensively.

Next Up

The No. 5-seeded Bears face sibling rivals St. Joseph's (Long Island), the No. 4 seed, in a first-round matchup of the 2022 Skyline Conference Softball Championship on Tuesday, May 3. Start time of the single-elimination game in Patchogue will be announced tomorrow. Live stats and video will be available at SJCBears.com/live. 

Bears Softball Class of 2022 Senior Reflections