FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team (1-1) opened its season by splitting its first two games down in Fort Myers on the first day of the Knights' Spring Break trip. The Knights defeated Northland College (0-1), 8-0, in the early contest, but fell to Newbury College (1-3) in their second game, 6-5.
Sophomore second baseman
Shannon Sommer (Brewster, N.Y.) played her leadoff role well, going 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs in the Knights' victory over Northland. Freshman starter
Colleen Dunn (Bellmore, N.Y.) was impressive in her first collegiate start, going the complete five innings without allowing a run. She struck out six batters and allowed just five hits.
The Knights got things going in the top of the first when senior third baseman
Danielle Soto (Miller Place, N.Y.) singled in Sommer. Both teams were quiet for the next couple innings, but Sommer got things going again in the fourth with a single, which was followed by an error on the same play, bringing in both junior center fielder
Sabrina Gordek (Levittown, N.Y.) and Dunn. Junior left fielder
Brianne Germain (Greenwood Lake, N.Y.) capped off the inning with an RBI single, scoring Sommer to put the Knights up, 4-0, after four.
The Knights broke it open in the fifth, scoring four unearned runs. Freshman right fielder
Taylor Canto (Walden, N.Y.) and junior
Chelsea Dexter (Beacon, N.Y.) each knocked in a run in the inning as the Knights forced a mercy-rule finish after five frames.
Northland's Crystal Diaz suffered the loss, allowing eight runs (one earned) across five innings.
Soto and Canto each went 1-for-2 with a RBI and a run in Monday's win. Dunn batted 1-for-3 with a run to go along with an impressive performance in the circle.
Alecia Piper went 2-for-3 out of the leadoff spot for Northland. Diaz, Alli Dunn and Carolyn Malecha were the only other Northland hitters to reach base, as each went 1-for-2.
The Knights got off to a rocky start in game two, as they went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Newbury then tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on a bases-loaded walk, followed by a single by catcher Emily Humphries to leave the Knights trailing, 2-0, after one.
Junior starter
Nicole Lomangino (Wantagh, N.Y.) tied the game on a two-RBI single for the Knights in the top of the second, but Newbury got another back in the home half of the inning to take a 3-2 lead. The Nighthawks then built their lead to 6-2 after scoring three times in the bottom of the third.
The Knights scored on an error in the fourth to get back within three runs. Germain picked up an infield single that scored Gordek in the fifth. She was later brought around to score on a single by sophomore first baseman
Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) to get the Knights within one. The Knights were unable to take advantage of having runners on second and third in what turned out to be their last strong chance to score in the game.
Olivia Kenyon picked up the win in a complete game for Newbury, allowing five runs (two earned) and striking out six in seven innings of work. Lomangino fell to 0-1 on the season after allowing six runs in three innings. Freshman pitcher
Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) had an impressive relief outing, striking out five batters in three innings without allowing a base runner
Center fielder Naomi Ricciotti went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs for Newbury. Humphries knocked in one and scored another in a 2-for-3 effort, while shortstop Alyssa Donovan hit 2-for-4 with a RBI.
Soto rounded out a solid day with a 2-for-4 outing out of the three-hole for the Knights. Canto hit 1-for-3 with a run, while Surdan went 1-for-1 with a run and a RBI.
The Knights' week continues on Tuesday, Mar. 3, with another pair of matchups. They will begin the day at 9 a.m., when they face off with York College of Pennsylvania. They will then take on Franklin College at 11 a.m. to close out the second day.
Follow the Knights on Twitter at
@MSMCKnights
