EMMITSBURG, Md. – Lisa Curreri (Clinton, N.J./North Hunterdon) started a three-run rally in the fifth and made the game-saving defensive play in the seventh to help Mount St. Mary's seal a 3-2 victory against Saint Francis (Pa.) in Northeast Conference (NEC) softball action on Saturday. The Red Flash came back to win the nightcap, 4-2.

Curreri doubled to lead off the fifth inning and came around to score the Mount's (4-20, 1-1 NEC) first run of the game in the squad's decisive three-run fifth . The junior then trapped a low liner and threw the ball to second for the out to end the game in the seventh after the Red Flash (13-16, 1-1 NEC) loaded the bases. Curreri added two hits and a run in the nightcap.

Jamie Fowler (Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown) allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts to earn the win in the first game and then tossed four scoreless innings in relief in the nightcap. Fowler became the program's all-time leader in games pitched with her second appearance of the afternoon with her 96th career game pitched. Fellow senior Amanda Burk (Bristow, Va./Stonewall Jackson) added four hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the twinbill.

Megan Layne gave up two unearned runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts in a complete-game effort in the nightcap for the Red Flash (13-16, 1-1 NEC) while Kelly Cortese added three hits and a run scored and Kelly Slingwine recorded two hits and two runs scored on the afternoon.

In the opener, Mount St. Mary's rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take a one-run advantage and held on for a 3-2 victory.

After Saint Francis (Pa.) posted a run in each of the first two innings, the Mount scored three runs in the fifth to take the lead for good.

Curreri started the rally with a double to right center before Burk tripled to right field to bring home Curreri. Liz Christiansen (Etters, Pa./Red Land) plated Burk when she reached on a fielding error to tie the game at 2. Nicole Reeder (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) brought home Christiansen with the decisive run on a double to right field for a 3-2 edge. In the seventh, Cortese helped Saint Francis (Pa.) put together a threat and load the bases by leading off the stanza with a single down the left field line. Kara Stroup reached on a fielder's choice when the Mountaineers tried to get the force out on Cortese at second base. Pinch hitter Nicole Waligora loaded the bases with no out when she put down a put to third base. Fowler buckled down, recording a strikeout before Janelle McCoy hit the ball to Reeder at third base and Reeder threw the ball home for the force out to record the second out of the inning. Slingwine then hit a soft-low liner to Curreri at second base. The junior dove for the liner and trapped the ball off the ground, but then tossed the ball to Jenna Zimmerman (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) to force out McCoy at second for the final out of the game..

The Red Flash took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Raquel Rugani RBI single to left center. Stroup increased the advantage to 2-0 on a line-drive home run to left field in the second. Despite leaving the bases loaded twice in the first three innings, Mount St. Mary's rallied to earn a 3-2 win in the NEC opener.

Saint Francis (Pa.) grabbed a 4-0 lead in the first two innings of the second game and held off a pair of Mount rally attempts to pick up the split, 4-2.

Jamie Dixon put the Red Flash on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly to right in the first. Saint Francis (Pa.) then added three runs in the second on RBI doubles by Christina Aulbach and McCoy before McCoy touched home on a wild pitch.

The Mount answered with two runs in the third to cut the lead in half at 4-2. Zimmerman started the rally by reaching on an error and then came around to score when Saint Francis (Pa.) had an error on Curreri's stolen base. Burk then brought home Curreri on a single to left field.

Mount St. Mary's threatened in the fifth. Curreri started the inning with an infield hit before Burk was hit by the pitch. After Courtney Zingle (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) grounded into a fielder's choice, Christiansen nearly gave the Mount a 5-4 advantage with her fifth home run in the last 10 days, but her shot hit off the 190 sign in right field and was held to a single. Layne then got a strikeout for the second out before Burk was tagged out at the plate when she was trying to score off a wild pitch for the final out.

The Mountaineers then threatened in the seventh similar to the way the Red Flash did in the opener. Curreri, Burk and Zingle opened the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. Layne then struck out the next two batters and ended the game with a fly out.

Mount St. Mary's returns to action on Sunday against Robert Morris. Game time is 12 p.m.