NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team (17-9, 12-2 Skyline) clinched the Skyline Conference Softball Regular Season Title with a split against four-time defending champion Farmingdale State College (17-13, 10-4 Skyline) Sunday afternoon at Newburgh Free Academy North Campus. The Knights fell to the Rams in game one, 8-3, but picked up a walk-off mercy-rule victory in the finale by a score of 10-2 to clinch first place.
As the regular season champs, the Knights will now host the entire Skyline Conference Championship Tournament from April 24-26. This is just the second time in program history that the Knights have finished the regular season in first place in the Skyline Conference, and the first time since 2001. The top-seeded Knights will host No. 4 The Sage Colleges in Friday's opening-round matchup, while No. 2 Farmingdale State will take on No. 3 College of Mount Saint Vincent.
Prior to the start of game one, the Knights honored their pair of graduating seniors,
Stephanie Karcher (Oxford, Conn.) and
Danielle Soto (Miller Place, N.Y.) as part of a Senior Day ceremony commemorating all of their hard work and dedication to the Mount Saint Mary softball program. Each senior was joined by her parents, and several teammates spoke about what Karcher and Soto meant to the program and their teammates.
Game 1: Farmingdale State 8, Mount Saint Mary 3Game one got off to a rough start for the Knights, as third baseman Andrea Klarman hit a solo home run in the top of the first to give the Rams an early 1-0 lead.
Freshman starter
Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) ran into more trouble in the third when the Rams put runners on second and third with one away. Center fielder Michelle Mongiello then singled down the left-field line to bring in a run, and right fielder Marissa Monaco followed with a single to right to bring in another. With two away, designated player Meghan Acton doubled to left-center, bringing in two more to put the visitors up, 5-0.
The Knights found some life in the bottom of the fourth after putting two runners on with one away. Connoly stepped up to the plate, and blasted a three-run homer over the center-field fence to get the Knights back within two runs.
Both pitchers looked strong in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Rams were able to get to Connoly again in the seventh. With two runners on, Monaco smacked one over the left-field wall for a three-run homer, giving the Rams a more comfortable 8-3 advantage. The Knights went down in order in the seventh, giving the Rams the victory in the opener.
Taylor Webb improved to 6-3 after going the full seven innings and allowing three runs (two earned) for the Rams. Connoly was tagged with the loss and fell to 8-5 after allowing eight runs on 11 hits in seven frames in her third outing of the weekend.
Klarman and Mongiello each hit 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in game one. Klarman's game included the first-inning home run. Monaco hit 2-for-4 with a team-leading four RBIs and two runs scored, including her three-run homer in the seventh.
Connoly helped her caused with three RBIs and a home run in a 1-for-3 effort. Soto hit 1-for-3 with a run, and junior center fielder
Sabrina Gordek (Levittown, N.Y.) went 2-for-3.
Game 2: Mount Saint Mary 10, Farmingdale State 2 (5 inn)The stakes were high heading into game two, as the victor would clinch first place in the Skyline Conference and earn the right to host the Skyline Conference Championship Tournament next weekend.
Junior starter
Victoria Goldbach (Middle Village, N.Y.) drew the start for the Knights in Saturday's finale, and ran into a bit of trouble early on. The Rams brought a run across in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Lori Michalowski to give the visitors a quick 1-0 advantage.
The Knights' bats woke up in game two, as they opened the game with back-to-back singles by sophomore second baseman
Shannon Sommer (Brewster, N.Y.) and Gordek. Soto moved the runners up on a ground out to short, and then Karcher singled through the left side to bring Sommer home and tie the game. Sophomore first baseman
Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) then delivered the big blow of the inning, a three-run home run to dead center to put the Knights up, 4-1, through one inning.
The Knights loaded the bases with two away in the bottom of the second with Connoly stepping up to the plate. Instead of getting the chance to drive in a couple runs with a hit, Connoly took a pitch off her shoulder, forcing a run to score and giving the Knights a 5-1 edge after two.
Some defensive miscues hurt the Knights in the top of the third, but Goldbach was able to work her way out without much damage. With one out, Monaco singled up the middle. Michalowski then reached on a fielding error by the shortstop that could have been an inning-ending double play. Designated player Brittany Ciaramitaro then singled to right, bringing Monaco around to score to get the Rams back within three. Goldbach got the next two batters to pop up to Soto at third to get out of trouble.
The bottom of the fifth proved to be one of the most important frames of the Knights' season. The Knights began a rally with one out after freshman left fielder
Taylor Canto (Walden, N.Y.) hit a line-drive single to left. Sommer followed with a perfect bunt to the pitcher, which she hustled to beat out and put two runners on. Gordek then laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Sommer and Canto over to second and third, respectively. Soto then hit a high pop up behind the shortstop, which got lost in the sun and fell between the left fielder, center fielder and shortstop, allowing both runners to score and give the Knights a five-run lead.
The inning stayed alive after Karcher hit a hard ground ball to second, which took a bad hop and bounced off the second baseman's chest, allowing her to reach base safely. Surdan made the Rams pay for their mistakes with a double down the left field line, scoring Soto to push the lead to 8-2. With the chance to win the game with a hit, Connoly was once again hit with a pitch, this time right in the helmet, loading the bases with two away. Sophomore shortstop
Breanna DePasquale (Brooklyn, N.Y.) reached on another miscue by the Rams, a throwing error by the third baseman, bringing Karcher home and keeping the bases loaded. Freshman
Courtney Barbara (Fishkill, N.Y.), who pinch hit to open the inning, ignited the Knights' celebration with a single through the right side, bringing Surdan home to end the game and clinch first place.
Goldbach improved to 4-0 after tossing the complete-game, scattering two runs and five hits across five frames. Taylor Tedeschi allowed 10 runs (seven earned) on 13 hits and four walks in 4.2 innings of work to suffer the loss for Farmingdale State.
Surdan hit 3-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs, two doubles and a three-run homer to lead the Knights to victory in game two. Sommer went 3-for-4 out of the leadoff spot with two runs scored. Soto knocked in two and scored twice herself in a 1-for-4 outing. Karcher hit 1-for-3, scoring twice and knocking in another.
Catcher Meagan Anderson hit 1-for-3 with a run scored to pace the Rams in a mercy-shortened game two. Monaco batted 1-for-2 and scored a run. Ciaramitaro also went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
With the Skyline Regular Season Title in hand, the Knights get one final tune-up before heading into tournament play. The Knights will take on John Jay College in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 21, at Randall's Island Field 16. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m.
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@MSMCKnights
