The Mount Takes Two From Mount Saint Vincent

NEWBURGH – The Mount Saint Mary College Softball team slugged its way to a pair of conference wins on Friday afternoon, topping the College of Mount Saint Vincent 9-1 and 13-5. The Knights totaled 21 hits over 10 innings and freshman Bridget Morris earned the win in both ends of the doubleheader.

Game 1: Mount Saint Mary 9 – Mount Saint Vincent 1 (5 innings)
The Knights trailed only briefly on the day, allowing a run in the top of the first in game one.

The Mount quickly answered with a run in the home half of the inning on a Morgan O’Neill RBI single and went on to add three runs in the second frame and five more in the third to end the game after five innings.

Nicole Palmer chased home Olivia Ferara with an infield single in the second to give the Knights the lead for good in the game and Samantha Bendig drove home a pair of runs to close out the scoring in the inning and give the Knights a 4-1 lead.

The five-run third inning featured three hits, including a grand slam off the bat of Laura Dentato. Ferara expanded the Mount’s lead to 5-1 with a run scoring single and following a double from Lauren Farina and a fielder’s choice, Dentato blasted her grand slam out over the left center field wall to close out the scoring in the game.

Dentato and Bendig each finished game one with two hits for the Mount and each scored a run in the win. Dentato posted four RBI with Bendig driving in a pair of runs for the Knights. Ferara posted a hit and two runs scored with Farina doubling and scoring a run.

Morris earned her third win of the season in the game, working a complete game. Over 5.0 innings she allowed just one run on two hits while striking out seven.

Game 2 – Mount Saint Mary 13 – Mount Saint Vincent 5 (5 innings)
Mount Saint Mary pounded out 13 more hits in game two to complete the sweep and scored in just two innings, plating nine runs in the third inning and four more in the home half of the fifth.

The big third inning featured seven hits and four walks, including a run scoring free pass drawn by O’Neill to open the scoring. Alicia Killeen spread the lead to 3-0 with a two-run single and Nicole Rosner followed with a two-run double down the left field line to push the Knights in front 5-0.

The inning continued with a Melanie McClinchey RBI base hit ahead of a two-run double off the bat of Dentato. The scoring concluded in the inning with a double off the bat of Bendig that chased home Dentato with the ninth run of the frame.

Mount Saint Vincent batted back with four runs in the top of the fourth and a tally in the fifth to pull to within 9-5, but the Mount erupted again in the fifth with four more hits coupled with a pair of Mount Saint Vincent errors. O’Neill singled home a run to start the scoring in the inning and Killeen drove home two more ahead of a Rosner single that delivered Ferara with the final run of the game.

Nine different players recorded a hit for the Knights in game two, led by a 3-for-3 effort from Killeen that included a run scored and four RBI. Rosner finished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI with Palmer going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Ferara drew two walks and scored twice with Dentato going 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBI and a pair of walks.

Morris worked 3.0 more strong innings to earn her second win of the day and fourth of the season. She did not allow a run on four hits and struck out a pair. Rosner came on to get the final two outs in relief of O’Neill without allowing a hit.

Friday’s sweep pushes Mount Saint Mary to 7-3 overall and 6-2 in Skyline Conference play.