OLD WESTBURY, NY - The Mount Saint Mary College softball team dropped both games of a double-header to the SUNY College at Old Westbury on Saturday. The Blue Knights fall to 4-12 overall and to 2-4 in the conference.

The Panthers took the first game, 7-3, behind a strong effort from sophomore pitcher Deborah Ciccarelli (St. James, N.Y.). Ciccarelli allowed just six hits and three runs while pitching a complete game.

Old Westbury took full advantage of three Mount Saint Mary errors. The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the first as the Blue Knights made a pair of errors. They also scored four runs in the fifth when a dropped fly ball extended the inning.

Junior Amy Romito (Washingtonville, N.Y.) laced a two-run double to right-center in the second inning that tied the game at two. Freshman Danielle Orender (Wall, N.J.) finished 2-for-3 and scored a run in the sixth inning.

The second game was a pitcher's duel between Ciccarelli and Mount Saint Mary senior Erin Lappe (Goshen, N.Y.) and went into extra innings with the score tied at one. The Blue Knights scored in the top half of the eighth on an Old Westbury error, but the Panthers escaped more damage with a 6-3-5 tag double play.

In the bottom of the eighth, junior Jessica Stoddard (Montgomery, N.Y.) singled to lead off the inning, forcing the runner who had been placed on second to third. Stoddard stole second and then sophomore Crystal Rodriguez (New York, N.Y.) grounded out to third to allow the first run to score. The next batter, sophomore Ashley Esposito (Nesconset, N.Y.), lofted a shallow flyball to left that resulted in a very close play at the plate as Stoddard tagged from third. She was called safe and the Panthers emerged with a 3-2 victory.

Orender was 3-for-4 with a run scored in the second game for the Blue Knights, capping off a strong day at the plate. Romito was 2-for-4 with a run batted in.

Lappe pitched seven and two-thirds innings, allowing just five hits and the three runs while striking out three. Ciccarelli pitched eight innings and allowed eight hits.

Up next for the Blue Knights is a non-conference double-header with RPI on Wednesday, April 1. The games are scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start in Troy, N.Y.