Mount Softball Drops Series With Manhattanville

NEWBURGH – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team lost both games in their Skyline Conference opening series.

Game 1
Mount Saint Mary College hosted Manhattanville for a two-game series to open up Skyline Conference play. The Knights got off to a rocky start in the top of the 1st, with the first two Valiants batters getting hit by pitch. Manhattanville would go up 2-0 after the 1st without even recording a hit. The Knights’ bats were silent this game as they wouldn’t reach base until Samantha Stallone walked in the bottom half of the 3rd.

Manhattanville added a couple more runs in the top of the 4th, then in the top of the 5th extended their lead to 9-0. The Mount was going to need to get some runs on the board in the bottom of the 5th if they were going to stay alive. Unfortunately, they were unable to do so, and they fell to the Valiants 9-0 in 5 innings of the first game of their doubleheader.

Game 2
The Knights regrouped and were ready to respond in game two. Grace MacDonald was back on the mound, and after walking the first batter she faced, she retired the side. Grace Reich got a leadoff single, followed by another single from Autumn Strobach to put two runners on with no outs. They both advanced bases after a wild pitch but were unable to score after two straight ground outs to the pitcher. Once again, in the bottom of the 2nd, the Knights left 2 runners on base after Allie Kenney singled and made her way over to third base. It felt like déjà vu in the bottom of the 3rd, as Autumn Strobach led off the inning with a walk, but was left stranded after making her way around the bases to third.

Manhattanville took advantage of some sloppy plays from the Knights, scoring 2 runs off errors and adding another to go up 3-0 in the top of the 4th. Mount Saint Mary was finally able to get over the hump in the bottom of the 5th. Chloe Graham came up big for the Knights, doubling to score Grace Reich from first base, then she would score after Grace MacDonald got enough of the ball to drive her in. Down 3-2, the Mount was looking to rally back in the bottom of the 7th. With 2 outs, Graham drew a walk and reached first as the tying run. MacDonald put the ball in play, but a tough call at second base ended the game as the Knights lost 3-2.