Mount Sweeps Day One of Spring Games Invitational

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Mount Saint Mary College softball team won both of its first two games of The Spring Games Invitational against Carlow University and Penn State Berks.

Game 1
Mount Saint Mary got its season underway in central Florida as part of The Spring Games Invitational with First Team All-Skyline two-way player Grace MacDonald on the mound against Carlow University. The Knights would take advantage of a few mistakes from the Celtics’ defense, scoring 3 runs, including an RBI from MacDonald. Carlow would get a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to make it 3-1. In the top of the 3rd, Allie Kenney would knock an RBI single to left field to score Grace Terpening, who was 3 for 4 on the day. Carlow would add another run to the board in the next half inning, but this was the last run they would score this game.

The Knights’ bats would combine for 5 hits and 4 runs in the top of the 4th, with Autumn Strobach leading off the inning with a single. Dana Donnelly, Chloe Graham, and Grace MacDonald would all hit RBI doubles in the inning to make it 8-2. Graham and MacDonald hit RBI doubles once again the following inning, as the Knights took an 11-2 lead and put the 5-inning run rule into effect. Grace MacDonald would retire the side in the bottom of the 5th as Mount Saint Mary came away with an 11-2 win.

Game 2
Peyton Dost would get the start against Penn State Berks in the second game of the Knights’ doubleheader. The Nittany Lions had a couple of hits to start the game, scoring 1 run to get on the board first. The Mount responded in the bottom of the 1st, with RBI singles from Grace MacDonald and Allie Kenney to take a 2-1 lead. Dost would go 1-2-3 in the 2nd inning, and the Knights’ bats continued to stay hot on the other end. Dana Donnelly scored Olivia King with an RBI single, and Grace MacDonald hit her 3rd RBI double of the day to put them up 5-1. Berks cut their deficit to 3 runs in the top of the third after an RBI extra base hit.

Both teams’ offenses began to slow down, going scoreless in the 4th and 5th innings, with the Knights loading the bases in the bottom of the 5th and unable to take advantage. Mount Saint Mary would add some insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th that would prove to be crucial at the end of the game. Chloe Graham, Grace MacDonald, and Grace Terpening would hit RBIs to extend their lead to 8-2. The Nittany Lions made things interesting in the top half of the 7th, scoring 4 runs, including 3 with two outs. Dana Donnelly would come in to close things out, securing the win for Mount Saint Mary and recording the save in an 8-6 win.