Kissimmee, Fla. – The Mount Saint Mary College Softball team split a pair of games on Wednesday, falling to Case Western Reserve 3-2 before regrouping for an 11-6 win over Skidmore. Sophomore Amanda Almodovar (Goshen, N.Y.) recorded two hits in the opener, while Michelle Surdan (Acton, Mass.) produced four base hits in the win over the Thoroughbreds.
 
Game 1: Case Western Reserve 3 – Mount Saint Mary 2
Mount Saint Mary picked up a run in its first at-bat for the fifth straight game in the opener and led 2-0 in the fifth inning, before the Spartans rallied to score three times in the late innings to come away with the victory.
 
Breanna DePasquale (Brooklyn, N.Y.) continued her strong start to the season, driving in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Shannon Sommer (Brewster, N.Y.) led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and then an error. She later scored to get the Knights on the board and give them an early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Mount moved its lead out to two runs in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a hit and an error in the inning. Kathryn Eiler (Merrick, N.Y.) led off the frame with a double and after a sacrifice bunt and fly out came home following a two out error by the Spartans.
 
Trailing 2-0, Case Western Reserve evened the score with a pair of runs in the fifth and scored the game winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Katie Wede drove home a pair of runs in the fifth and later singled home the winning run in the seventh.
 
Wede rounded out the game 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Maren Waldner finished up 3-for-3 with two runs scored. The duo combined for all five of the Spartans hits in the game.
 
Almodovar went 2-for-3 with a stolen base for the Knight's with Sommer, DePasquale, Courtney Barbara (Fishkill, N.Y.) and Eiler each recording one hit.
 
Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) suffered the loss for the Mount and fell to 1-2 on the young season. She allowed only one earned run on five hits in 6.2 innings. She fanned seven Spartans and walked just one batter. Annie Wennerberg picked up the win, allowing two runs on six hits. She struck out five and did not surrender a walk.
 
Game 2: Mount Saint Mary 11 = Skidmore 6
The Knights continued their string of quick starts against the Thoroughbreds, scoring five times in their first at-bat to break the game open. The Knights recorded four hits in the inning and took advantage of three errors to open the big early lead. Connoly, Emily Lang (Westtown, N.Y.) and Sommer all drove in runs for the Mount in the first inning.
 
After Skidmore got a run back in the second inning, the Mount erupted for six more runs in the fourth to open an 11-1 advantage. The Knights strung together seven hits in the inning and sent 10 batters to the plate. Lang delivered a two-run triple for the Knights with Bridget Bennett (Gardiner, N.Y.), Eiler and Sommer each driving in runs in the inning.
 
The Thoroughbreds rallied with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, but went down in order in the seventh.
 
The Knights pounded out 13 hits in the game and showed seven different players with a safety in the game. Sommer went 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot with a run and two RBI, while Surdan finished up 4-for-4 with two runs scored.
 
Lang closed the win 2-for-4 with a run and three runs driven in and Eiler and DePasquale posted a hit and a run scored for the Knights.
 
Bennett picked up her first career win in the circle, firing a complete game. She allowed three earned runs on six hits and struck out four batters.
 
Wednesday's split moves Mount Saint Mary to 2-4 overall on the season. The Knights continue play at the Rebel Games on Thursday when they tussle with the College of Wooster (1:30 p.m.) and the College of St. Scholastica (3:45 p.m.).