Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team (20-10, 10-2 Skyline) is now just two Skyline wins away from hosting the Skyline Conference Championship tournament as the Knights leaped over another hurdle en route to the Skyline Conference's top seed on Saturday by sweeping St. Joseph's College (L.I.) (18-12, 8-5 Skyline) in a Skyline doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Mount.
 
Seniors Ashley Peel (Shelton, Conn.), Nicole Petkevicius (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Amanda Barrese (Staten Island, N.Y.) were honored in a Senior Day ceremony prior to Saturday's first pitch for their contributions to the MSMC softball program throughout their tenures in the Blue and Black.
 
The Knights got on the board quickly in game one, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by junior catcher Stephanie Karcher (Oxford, Conn.). They added another two runs in the third on a sacrifice fly by freshman shortstop Breanna DePasquale (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and an RBI single by freshman designated player Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) to go up 3-0.
 
Cheyenne Raimondi knocked in the Golden Eagles' first run of the game on a double in the fourth that scored Gianna Gulli, cutting the deficit to two. Peel got the run back for the Knights in the sixth with a single to score sophomore Brianne Germain (Greenwood Lake, N.Y.) to put the Knights up, 4-1. The Golden Eagles added one more in the seventh inning, but were unable to tie the game.
 
Sophomore starter Victoria Goldbach (Middle Village, N.Y.) earned her eighth win of the season in game one on Saturday, allowing just two runs and striking out four across the full seven innings. Cassie Martinez took the loss for St. Joe's, allowing four runs (two earned) in six innings.
 
Karcher went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run in the opener win. Freshman second baseman Shannon Sommer (Brewster, N.Y.) went 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot with a run scored.
 
Samantha Carcano went 2-for-4 for the Golden Eagles, while Raimondi hit 1-for-2 with an RBI.
 
Game two went scoreless for the first 2 1/2 innings before the Knights put together a big third inning. Junior third baseman Danielle Soto (Miller Place, N.Y.) singled in Sommer to put the Knights up, 1-0. Sophomore first baseman Kate Zubicki (Kearny, N.J.) later blasted a three-run homer, her third of the season, to push the lead to four runs.
 
Nicole Reda knocked in the only Golden Eagle run in game two on an RBI double that scored Julianne Tierney in the fourth. Peel canceled out that run in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to right to give the Knights their fifth run of the game.
 
Barrese picked up her sixth win of the year, going the full seven innings and striking out seven batters while allowing just one run. Martinez lost her second game of the afternoon, allowing five runs and eight hits across six innings.
 
Karcher completed a perfect day at the plate with a 2-for-2 effort in game two. Soto hit 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run, while Zubicki knocked in three runs on her third-inning blast.
 
Tierney hit 3-for-3 for the Golden Eagles in game two and scored their only run. Reda knocked her in as part of a 1-for-3 outing, while Gabrielle Cinquemani and Tara Bernocco each went 1-for-3 as well.

The Knights return to action on Wednesday, April 16, when they take on The Sage Colleges in their final Skyline doubleheader of the regular season. Should Sage sweep its doubleheader with Purchase scheduled for tomorrow, April 13, the Knights will need to sweep the Gators to ensure the top seed in the conference tournament. Wednesday's doubleheader will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Robison Field in Troy, N.Y.
 
Follow the Knights on Twitter at @MSMCKnights