Newburgh, N.Y. – Every hitter in the Mount Saint Mary lineup recorded a hit and sophomore Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) struck out nine as the Knights advanced in the Skyline Conference Championship with a 4-1 winner's bracket victory over Mount Saint Vincent on Saturday morning.
 
The Knights struck first when Connoly scored the team's initial run on a miscue in left field following a Chelsea Dexter (Beacon, N.Y.) single. The Knights would go on to score the eventual game winning run in the third when Breanna DePasquale (Brooklyn, N.Y.) chased home Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) to open a two run lead.
 
Mount Saint Mary would add two more runs in the fifth when Taylor Canto (Walden, N.Y.) scored on an error and Amanda Almodovar (Chester, N.Y.) delivered DePasquale with a bases loaded walk.
 
Connoly did not allow a base runner until a Joann Guerra two-out double in the sixth inning. The Dolphins picked up two hits in the frame, including a run scoring single from Danielle Maffei, and brought the tying run to the plate before a strikeout from Connoly with two on base and two outs.
 
DePasquale finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, with Connoly, Surdan and Canto all finishing with a hit and a run scored. Almodovar drew three walks in the game and drove in a run for the Knights.
 
Connoly won her 12^th game in the circle and moved to 12-2 on the season with her 10^th complete game of the year. She allowed one run on two hits and struck out nine against just one walk. Kathryn Dalton suffered the loss, surrendering just one earned run on seven hits. She walked seven and struck out one in the contest.
 
Saturday's win moves Mount Saint Mary to 21-10 overall on the season. The Knights will square off with Sage on May 7 for the conference championship after Sunday's games were postponed due to impending rain. First pitch on May 7 is set for 11:00 a.m.

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