NEW YORK, N.Y. – Boosted by two home runs and six runs batted in from freshman Chelsea Hepburn (New York, N.Y.), the Mount Saint Mary College softball team won the first game and tied in the second game of Thurdsay's non-conference double-header against Hunter College. The Knights are now 7-2-1 on the season.

The Mount jumped out to a quick lead in game one, hanging six runs on the board in the top of the first. Senior Sarah Johnson (Montgomery, N.Y.) laced a two-run double to right field and then scored when Hepburn launched the first of two home runs on the day, this one a three-run shot. Junior Danielle Orender (Wall, N.J.) also knocked home a run in the inning with a double to right-center.

The Knights tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth frames, then added two more in the top of the seventh. Freshman Nicole Petkevicius (Long Beach, N.Y.) did the damage in the fifth inning with a run-scoring double to right-center, while pinch-hitting freshman Christina Cruz (North Plainfield, N.J.) forced home a run with a double down the right field line.

Sophomore starting pitcher Caitlin Maynes (Miller Place, N.Y.) went the distance to earn the victory. She allowed just six hits and struck out two while walking none.

In game two, darkness forced the game to end in a tie following eight innings of play. The tie was the first for the program since March 31, 2004, when the Knights tied New Paltz, 1-1.

With the score tied at 5-5 headed to extra innings, the Knights broke through with a run in the top of frame, thanks to an RBI single from freshman Brittany O'Brien (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Unfortunately, Hunter junior Josephine Estevez (Bronx, N.Y.) crushed a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning, forcing a 6-6 tie.

After the Mount scored a pair of runs in the second inning, Hepburn came up in the third with two outs and two runners on. Repeating her feat from the first contest, Hepburn drilled a three-run homer to left field to give the Knights a 5-4 lead. The score would stay the same until Hunter tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run from freshman Julia Lipovac (Astoria, N.Y.).

Mount freshman starting pitcher Amanda Barrese (Staten Island, N.Y.) worked all eight innings, allowing 11 hits and three earned runs.

The Knights will have more than a week off before opening Skyline Conference play next weekend. They travel to SUNY College at Old Westbury for a noon double-header on Saturday, March 26.