DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team (7-7, 3-1 Skyline) finally got back to work on Sunday, and split a Skyline Conference doubleheader with the College of Mount Saint Vincent (9-16, 8-3 Skyline) on the campus of Mercy College. The Dolphins picked up a 7-5 win in game one, but the Knights bounced back nicely to take a 12-3 victory in Sunday's finale.
Game 1:The Knights fell behind early in Sunday's opener after allowing four runs in the bottom of the third to the Dolphins. The Knights got the first two batters out in the inning before left fielder Joann Guerra doubled to left center. A string of three straight singles for the Dolphins brought in two runs, and then an error loaded the bases and kept the inning alive for the home team. The Dolphins took full advantage when first baseman Kierstyn Bourdeau singled through the left side to bring in two more runs to put Mount Saint Vincent up, 4-0.
The Knights did not let the Dolphins lead for long after putting together a big rally of their own in the top of the fourth. Senior catcher
Stephanie Karcher (Oxford, Conn.) and sophomore first baseman
Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and then freshman pitcher
Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) reached on a fielder's choice, which had an error that allowed all runners to reach safely and load the bases.
Sophomore shortstop
Breanna DePasquale (Brooklyn, N.Y.) then singled to center, bringing in the Knights' first run of the game. Junior
Chelsea Dexter (Beacon, N.Y.) was then brought in to pinch hit, and drew a walk to bring in another run. Later in the inning with one away, freshman right fielder
Taylor Canto (Walden, N.Y.) singled to right, bringing in another run. With two outs, senior third baseman
Danielle Soto (Miller Place, N.Y.) knocked in two runs on a single to left, giving the Knights a 5-4 lead.
Sloppy fielding hurt the Knights in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back runners reached base on errors to start the inning, and then both moved up a base on a wild pitch to immediately get the Knights in trouble. The next batter walked to load the bases, and pitcher Mackenzie Heizer singled to left to bring in the tying run. Third baseman Rianna Laughridge hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the eventual winning run, and designated player Casey Cuccio brought in the seventh Dolphin run with a single through the left side.
Heizer picked up the win after allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits with eight strikeouts in the game. Connoly suffered the loss after allowing three unearned runs in three innings of relief.
Bourdeau knocked in two runs in a 1-for-3 effort to lead the Dolphins in game one. Catcher Rachel Heizer went 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, while second baseman Kathryn Dalton hit 2-for-3 with two runs.
Soto plated a pair in a 1-for-4 outing. Karcher hit 2-for-4 with a run scored. DePasquale knocked in a run and scored another after going 1-for-3.
Game 2:Game two got off to another rough start for the Knights, as the Dolphins took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by Mackenzie Heizer. The Knights caught a break in the second, after Canto struck out with the loaded and two outs, but the pitch got past the catcher, allowing Canto to reach base and a run to score, tying the game.
The Knights' bats came alive in the top of the third. Soto opened the inning with a single, followed by a walk by Karcher. Surdan singled to load the bases, and then Connoly singled to center to bring in two runs and give the Knights a 3-1 lead. Dexter brought in one more on a single to right field to give the Knights a three-run lead.
The Knights matched their third-inning effort with another three runs in the fourth. With runners on the corners, Surdan tripled to right center, clearing the bases to give the Knights a 6-1 lead. Connoly then brought in Surdan on a single to left to make it a 7-1 Knight advantage.
Back-to-back two-out hits in the bottom of the fifth brought in a pair of runs for the Dolphins, cutting the deficit to three runs. The Knights got one back in the sixth on another Connoly RBI single, giving them an 8-3 lead.
To ensure victory in Sunday's finale, the Knights rallied for four more runs in the top of the seventh. Karcher knocked in three of those runs on a bases-loaded double, and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Surdan, giving the Knights a 12-3 lead.
Connoly went 4-for-4 with four RBIs at the plate, and picked up the win after allowing three runs across the complete seven innings. She improves to 4-4 on the season with the victory. Kathleen Davis was tagged with the loss for the Dolphins after yielding four runs (three earned) in two innings of work.
Karcher had a huge game two for the Knights, going 3-for-4 with four runs and three RBI. Surdan went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs. Freshman second baseman
Courtney Barbara (Fishkill, N.Y.) batted 3-for-5 with a run scored.
Guerra went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Dolphins in Sunday's finale. Mackenzie Heizer knocked in two runs in a 2-for-3 effort.
The Knights continue a heavily-packed Skyline schedule on Monday, April 13, when they take on SUNY College at Old Westbury in the make-up of Saturday's postponed doubleheader. First pitch of game one is slated for 3 p.m.
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