Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team (0-2) opened its season on Monday in its first doubleheader of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, facing off with Nazareth College (1-2) in its first game, and then taking on University of Minnesota-Morris (1-3) in game two. Nazareth grabbed an 8-1 victory in the opener, but the Knights bounced back with a 3-0 shutout of Minnesota-Morris, led by a wonderful pitching performance by sophomore starter Victoria Goldbach (Middle Village, N.Y.).

The Knights got on the board early in the early morning matchup with Nazareth, as freshman designated player Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) singled in senior left fielder Nicole Petkevicius (Long Beach, N.Y.) from second base in the top of the first to give the Knights the 1-0 advantage.

Nazareth began its scoring run in the home half of the second, picking up a pair of runs on a groundout and an error to take a 2-1 lead. They added another two runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by shortstop Sarah Cipperly and an RBI single by catcher Sophia Rhoades. Nazareth went on to pick up another four runs in the bottom of the fifth to earn its 8-1 victory.

Mary Greco picked up the win for Nazareth, tossing seven innings and allowing just one run. Senior starter Amanda Barrese (Staten Island, N.Y.) shouldered the loss in her first start of the season, allowing seven earned runs across six innings.

The Golden Flyers were led by Rhoades, who knocked in three runs and scored once in a 2-for-2 effort. Third baseman Carly Pike hit 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while right fielder Shauna Bardanis knocked in a pair in a 1-for-3 outing.

Surdan went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and the only RBI for the Knights in their opener. Petkevicius went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

The Knights turned things around to pick up a victory in game two on Monday. Goldbach tossed a gem in her first start of the season, throwing seven innings of one-hit ball and striking out 11 batters to pick up the win.

All three of the runs scored in the later game came in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore center fielder Kimberly Boice (Kingston, N.Y.) smacked a two-out single to knock in a pair of runs to put the Knights up 2-0. Freshman second baseman Shannon Sommer (Brewster, N.Y.) immediately followed with an RBI single of her own, scoring Boice from second, to cap the Knights' scoring for the game.

Boice picked up two RBI and scored a run in a 1-for-2 effort in Monday's second game. Surdan hit 2-for-3 again, scoring a run and stealing another base. Sommer went 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot, also swiping a bag.

Minnesota-Morris starter Mackenzie Weatherly suffered the loss after allowing three runs across six innings. She managed to pick up the only hit of the game for the Cougars, going 1-for-2.

The Knights get back to work tomorrow, March 11, with another doubleheader under the warm Florida sun. They open their second day with a matchup against Franklin and Marshall College at 9 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. game against Mount Mary University at 11 a.m.

Follow the Knights on Twitter at @MSMCKnights