NEW YORK, N.Y. – Mount Saint Mary College opened Skyline Conference play on Saturday with a double-header split against the College of Mount Saint Vincent.  The Knights and Dolphins both stand at 8-7 overall following today's play.

In the opener, Mount Saint Mary scored four runs in the sixth to take a 7-5 lead.  A two-run homer from junior Michael Morelli (Washingtonville, N.Y.) provided the first two runs of the inning.  The lead would be short-lived, however, as Mount Saint Vincent answered with seven runs in the bottom half of the inning.  The Knights got it back to 12-9 with two runs in the seventh, but the Dolphins put the game out of reach with three in the eighth.  Morelli launched a second, two-run home run in the top of the ninth, but it would be too little, too late as the Knights were defeated, 15-11.

Morelli finished the opener 3-for-5 with two runs scored and six RBIs.  Sophomore Vinnie Carminati (Huntington, N.Y.), sophomore Chris Chieffo (Waterbury, Conn.), and junior Thomas McNoble (Breezy Point, N.Y.) each had a pair of hits for the Knights.

In game two, the Knights jumped on Mount Saint Vincent early, scoring three runs in the first and eight runs in the second.  Morelli and Carminati each had RBI singles in the first inning.  Senior John Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.) laced a two-run single through the left side in the second and Carminati followed up with a two-run double to left-center.  Sophomore Anthony D'Agostino (Wallington, N.J.) and freshman Alex Velardi (Branford, Conn.) also got in on the fun, each with a two-run single in the second.

MSMC junior Joe CoFrancesco (Hamden, Conn.) went the distance for the Knights, tossing 100 pitches in a seven-inning complete game.  He allowed just four hits and one earned run while striking out five.

Morelli added three more hits (3-for-4) to go along with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.  Velardi also had three hits (3-for-5) with a run and three RBIs.  Carminati finished 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs, while D'Agostino went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.

The Knights will host NYU-Poly in a Skyline Conference double-header tomorrow at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill.  The games are scheduled for a noon start.