Newburgh, N.Y. - Even with chilly temperatures and a brisk wind at Kaplan Field on Saturday, the Mount Saint Mary College softball team completed a sweep of Purchase College in the Skyline opener for both teams. The Blue Knights took game one, 8-0 in six innings, and game two by a score of 7-2. MSMC improves to 3-7 overall and 2-0 inside the conference while Purchase drops to 0-8 overall and 0-2 in the Skyline.
After a scoreless first inning in game one, the Mount got on the board with a pair of runs in the second. Freshman Jackie Governale (Bethpage, N.Y.) led off with a triple over the center fielder's head and was knocked in by sophomore Carolyn Hunt (Mahopac, N.Y.). Hunt came around to score on a double by sophomore Liz Carlson (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.).
The Blue Knights added two more in the third, thanks to a run-scoring error and a Governale single that drove in freshman Sarah Johnson (Montgomery, N.Y.). Sophomore Christine DelPiano (Orange, Conn.) had an RBI single in the fourth to make the score 5-0 and then junior Christina Maiocco (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) and senior Colleen Glasheen (Brooklyn, N.Y.) chipped in with RBIs in the fifth to push the advantage to seven. In the sixth, senior Jen Weiner (Walden, N.Y.) walked to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Governale to end the game.
Junior pitcher Erin Lappe (Goshen, N.Y.) went the distance to pick up her first win of the year, allowing just three hits and striking out ten.
In game two, the Mount pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first. Hunt singled to start the game and eventually scored on a single by Johnson. As the next batter, DelPiano roped a double to right center, scoring Johnson. DelPiano scored on a wild pitch for the third run of the inning.
In the fourth, Maiocco doubled to give the Blue Knights runners at second and third, and Governale came through with another sac fly. Maiocco came around to score on a single by freshman Erin Dammermuth (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) and then Dammermuth scored on an RBI single from Johnson. DelPiano picked up another RBI with a single to conclude the scoring for the Mount.
The Panthers got on the board in the sixth, as sophomore Jessie Domes (Glenwood, N.Y.) reached on an error to start the inning. After stealing second, Domes scored on a single up the middle by junior Patricia Orellana (New York, N.Y.). Sophomore Meghan LaLonde (Parishville, N.Y.) followed up with a single to left field and then stole second, allowing Orellana to score on the throw.
Dammermuth pitched all seven innings for the Blue Knights and did not allow an earned run in moving to 2-1 on the season. The freshman allowed eight hits while striking out six.
Up next for the Blue Knights is a trip to Maritime College where they will take on the Privateers. The first game of a double-header is scheduled to start at noon on Sunday, March 30.
