GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Gwynedd Mercy celebrated its two seniors on Friday as the Griffins hosted Cedar Crest. After the Falcons took game one, 13-8, GMercyU would triumph in the second, 5-2, to get the split.

Prior to the first game, the team and coaching staff honored MaryKate Ballerino and Megan Kelly along with their families for their relentless contributions to the program.

In game one, Cedar Crest broke open a 7-6 game with six runs in the seventh to go on and win a rainy, cold affair, 13-8.

Ballerino would go 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored while Kim Machalette also added two hits and Becki Christoffers hit a two-run home run.

The Falcons struck for a run in the first on a two-out RBI double from Molly Schnaubelt. In the bottom half, Gwynedd led off the frame with three-straight walks to load the bases, but were unable to cross any runs. Cedar Crest added to their lead with a three-spot in the second, using three hits and two Griffin errors to lead 4-0.

GMercyU would get those three runs back in their at bat in the second thanks to a two-out, two-run home run from Christoffers and later an RBI single from Jessica Behr. In the third, GM would tie it at 4-4 when Kim Machalette scored from third on a wild throw on a pickoff attempt from the catcher.

Cedar Crest would plate two runs in the fourth to take a 6-4 edge. Gwynedd looked respond in bottom half, once again loading the bases with no outs, but could not cash in. After two forceouts at home, Tara Matteo sent a sharp liner to center where it was tracked down for the third out.

The Falcons converted on a suicide squeeze play in the sixth to cross another run and up the lead to 7-4.

Ballerino would triple and score with two outs in the sixth and Machalette would double home Nikki Canfield to pull the team within one run.

A lead-off walk and ensuing double put runners at second and third for Cedar Crest in the seventh. Rachel Stump's grounder to second was picked up and fired wide and out of
play, allowing both runners to score. Later in the frame, Kaylee Martinez hit a two-run homer to left to cap the six-run inning.

Alyssa Morales took the loss in game one, yielding four earned runs with four K's and two walks.

Martinez finished 2-for-5 with five RBI's for the Falcons.

Game two saw Gwynedd total just three hits, but all three came in big spots. Matteo's RBI double in the second scored Machalette to put GMercy ahead, 1-0.

Lily Acosta would triple in a run and then score on a double from Martinez in the top of the third to reclaim the lead, 2-1.

Behr would answer in the bottom half by smacking her team-leading sixth home run, a two-run shot. She would help add some insurance in the fifth with her RBI groundout while Christoffers would later score from third on another failed pickoff attempt to increase the lead to 5-2.

It was more than enough for Machalette, as she scattered five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

With darkness looming in the sixth, Machalette got out of jam with two runners on, getting a grounder to short to win game two and salvage the split.

Gwynedd Mercy, who has clinched a playoff berth, concludes the regular season tomorrow with two at Immaculata. The Griffins need two wins and one loss from Cabrini to move up to the #2 playoff seed and more importantly, a bye into the double elimination tournament next weekend.