NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team (12-8) faced off with a tough local rival in SUNY New Paltz (13-8) Wednesday evening, and split a doubleheader with the Hawks at Mary Gray Deane Field. The Knights picked up a 6-5 win in the opener, but fell, 6-3, to the Hawks in game two.
Game 1: Mount Saint Mary 6, New Paltz 5The Hawks got off to a hot start early in Wednesday's opener, as right fielder Fallon Spriggs hit a bases-loaded double to left, clearing the bases to put the home team up, 3-0, after one.
The Knights quickly got back in the game in the top of the second when sophomore shortstop
Breanna DePasquale (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a two-run homer over the left field fence to cut the deficit to one.
Center fielder Shayna Burgess quickly neutralized the Knights' runs in the bottom of the second with a two-RBI double to left-center, putting the Hawks back up by three runs.
A mini rally saw the Knights put runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the fourth. Freshman right fielder
Taylor Canto (Walden, N.Y.) hit a pop up to second, which was dropped by Jessica Lodato, allowing two runs to score for the Knights, getting them back within a run at 5-4.
The first two Knight batters in the top of the fifth were unable to reach base. Senior catcher
Stephanie Karcher (Oxford, Conn.) doubled to left-center, keeping the inning alive for the visitors. Sophomore first baseman
Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) then singled to center, plating Karcher to tie the game. Freshman designated player
Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) then doubled to left-center, bringing in Surdan for the eventual winning run.
Junior starter
Victoria Goldbach (Middle Village, N.Y.) earned her first win of the season in game one, tossing the complete seven innings and allowing five runs. Taylor Corwin took the loss for New Paltz after allowing four runs (two earned) in two innings of relief.
DePasquale went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and a home run to lead the Knights. Surdan hit 3-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Karcher batted 2-for-4 with double and a run scored.
Spriggs knocked in three runs in a 1-for-3 effort for the Hawks in game one. Burgess went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and left fielder Julia Perhacs hit 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Game 2: New Paltz 6, Mount Saint Mary 3The Knights flipped things around and scored first in Wednesday's nightcap when Connoly ripped a single up the middle in the top of the first, bringing Karcher and Surdan around to score for a quick 2-0 lead. Spriggs got it going early for the Hawks once again, bringing in a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI fielder's choice to cut the deficit in half.
Both teams went scoreless until the top of the sixth, when Surdan homered to left-center to put the Knights up, 3-1. The Hawks responded with a big sixth inning. With two runners on, center fielder Alex Verso doubled to right-center, bringing in a run to cut the deficit to just one. Left fielder Danielle Bruno then singled in another run to tie the game. Burgess followed with a single through the left side, bringing in Verso and Bruno to put the Hawks up, 5-3. First baseman Lauren Cappello capped it off with an RBI double to left, giving the Hawks the winning lead of 6-3.
Erika Traina improved to 3-1 for the Hawks with the win, going six innings and allowing just three runs (one earned). Meg Brewer came on to close it out in the seventh, allowing just one hit and no runs for her first save of the year. Freshman pitcher
Courtney Barbara (Fishkill, N.Y.) fell to 0-2 after allowing six runs (five earned) across six innings of work.
Burgess knocked in two and scored a run in a 1-for-3 outing to lead the Hawks in game two. Verso hit 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Bruno hit 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI after pinch hitting and taking over in left field later in the game.
Surdan hit 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI to pace the Knights in game two. Connoly knocked in a pair in a 1-for-3 effort. Barbara hit 2-for-4 with a double for the Knights out of the leadoff spot.
The Knights now head into a fifth straight day of doubleheaders on Thursday, April 16, when they head to Sarah Lawrence College for a doubleheader with the Gryphons that has already been rescheduled multiple times. Since the games were originally scheduled to be played at Mount Saint Mary, the Knights will still serve as the home team on Sarah Lawrence's home field. First pitch of the opener is slated for 4 p.m.
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@MSMCKnights
