EMMITSBURG, Md. – Nicole Reeder (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) knocked in the game-winning run in the opener and Amanda Buckel (Finksburg, Md./North Carroll) plated the decisive run in the nightcap to fuel Mount St. Mary's to a sweep against Sacred Heart in Northeast Conference (NEC) softball action on Saturday. The Mountaineers won the opener in nine innings 1-0 and then took the nightcap, 6-5.

In the bottom of the ninth inning of a scoreless contest, Reeder singled through the left side of the infield to bring home Amanda Burk (Bristow, Va./Stonewall Jackson) for the game's only run. Reeder added a three-run homer in the nightcap. With the game tied at 5 in the nightcap and the bases loaded with one out, Buckel hit a ground out to the pitcher to score Burk with the winning run. Burk finished the afternoon with three runs scored and a base hit.

On the mound, Jamie Fowler (Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown) pitched one of her best games of her career for the Mount (10-27, 5-6 NEC) in the 1-0 nine-inning victory, tossing a four-hit complete game shutout with five strikeouts on 113 pitches for her ninth win of the year. Amanda Sadowl (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) took over in relief in the second game and pitched the best game of her career to earn her first collegiate win. The freshman only allowed three hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Lisa Curreri (Clinton, N.J./North Hunterdon) added three hits on the afternoon and a run scored while Beth Everist (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) added two hits, two RBIs and a run scored in the winning effort.

Jim Timmer smacked a pinch hit grand slam for the Pioneers (13-26, 7-7 NEC) while Amanda Bradley had two hits, a run scored and an RBI in the nightcap. Jen Russell took the loss in both games despite only allowing two runs on eight hits with 13 strikeouts in 12.1 innings in the circle.

After eight scoreless innings in the opener, the Mountaineers broke through to score a run to end the game in nine innings and snap a four-game losing skid against Sacred Heart.

Burk led off the ninth by being hit by the pitch and Everist singled through the left side with one out. Reeder then took the first offering that she saw to left field to plate Burk with the decisive run.

Sacred Heart got a runner to second base in the first and the third, but its best threat in the first game came in the fifth. Shannon McCoy singled with one out before Jasmin Vicente walked. Fowler then induced a popup to shortstop Jenna Zimmerman (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) and a ground out to Curreri at second base to get out of the jam. Fowler then retired 14 of the final 15 batters to keep the shutout and give Mount St. Mary's the chance to prevail in the bottom of the ninth.

Despite grabbing a 5-1 advantage in the first inning, the Mount needed late-inning heroics again in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

With the game tied at 5 in the fifth, Burk and Courtney Zingle (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) started the decisive rally with singles to third base and both moved up a base on a passed ball. After Sacred Heart intentionally walked Reeder to load the bases with one out, Buckel pinch hit and hit the ball back to the pitcher who threw Buckel out at first while Burk touched home with the go-ahead run.

The Pioneers started the scoring in the second game with a run in the first on Bradley's RBI double to left center for its only lead of the day.

The Mountaineers struck back for five runs in the bottom of the inning. Curreri started the stanza with an infield single, Burk was hit by the pitch and Zingle walked to load the bases. Everist then hit a two-run single before Reeder capped the five-run outburst with a three-run shot to left field for a four-run advantage.

Sacred Heart came back to tie it at 5 thanks to Timmer's pinch-hit grand slam in the third. Sadowl came in and shutdown the Pioneers the rest of the way and Buckel's RBI groundout propelled the Mount to its first sweep of 2009. Sacred Heart's only chance against Sadowl came in the sixth when the squad registered consecutive singles with two outs, but a comebacker ended the jam.

Mount St. Mary's returns to action at home against Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday. First pitch is 12 p.m. In between games, the Mount will honors seniors Burk, Fowler and Kristin Fusco (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Palotti).