Patchogue, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Softball team opened play in the Skyline Conference Championship on Friday afternoon with a 5-1 win over the College of Mount Saint Vincent. Senior Taylor Canto (Walden, N.Y.) recorded three hits, while classmate Cindy Connoly (Walden, N.Y.) drove in two runs and earned the win in the circle.
 
Mount Saint Mary jumped out on top in the home half of the fourth inning after Kathryn Eiler (Merrick, N.Y.) singled and advanced to third following a sacrifice bunt and infield single. She eventually crossed with the game's first run following a two-out double off the bat of Canto.
 
Mount Saint Vincent answered in the top of the fifth with its only run of the game, a run scoring single from Hannah Thompson, before Knights pulled in front for good in the home half of the inning with two runs and tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth.
 
The deciding run was delivered on a one-out single from Emily Lang (Westtown, N.Y.) that plated Amanda Almodovar (Goshen, N.Y.) ahead of a sacrifice fly from Lauren Oury (Bethpage, N.Y.) that delivered Jenny Picarillo (Troy, N.Y.).
 
The two run sixth inning featured four hits from the Knights with Connoly plating the final two runs with a two-out single to center field that chased home Almodovar and Erin McCann (East Haven, Conn.).
 
Five Knights finished with multiple hits in the game, led by a 3-for-3 effort from Canto who doubled and drove in one run. Morgan O'Neill (Little Falls, N.J.), Connoly and Eiler each finished 2-for-3 with Almodovar going 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot with a pair of runs scored.
 
Connoly worked the complete game and moved to 11-8 on the season with the win, allowing just one run on four hits. She did not walk a batter and struck out seven Dolphins. Rachel Heizer took the loss, allowing five runs on 12 hits.
 
Friday's win pushes Mount Saint Mary to 18-14 on the season. The Knights will tussle with the winner of St. Joseph's-L.I. and Farmingdale State Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m.