Mount St. Mary's (9-17, 1-3 NEC) at Long Island (8-27, 0-4 NEC)
When: Sat, Apr. 9, 2011, 1 p.m.
Where: LIU Field, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Series Information: Long Island leads 36-7
Last Meeting: Long Island (6-2) 4-11-10
First Meeting: Long Island (11-9) 5-5-84
Last Mount Win: (1-0) 4-5-09

Opening Pitch: Saturday's doubleheader between Mount St. Mary's and Long Island marks the 44th and 45th meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 1984 season. Long Island leads the series 36-7, including a two-game sweep last season in Emmitsburg. The Mount's last win in the series was a 1-0 decision on a Nicole Reeder homer in the seventh at LIU Field in 2009.

The Word On Long Island: Long Island comes into the contest 8-27 overall and 0-4 in Northeast Conference play after being swept by Monmouth on Thursday. Emily Kakuska leads the team with a .340 batting average, 35 hits, 10 runs scored, five doubles, two homers and 16 RBIs. Bianca Mejia is second on the team with a .327 batting average, 34 hits, 20 runs scored, five doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs while Madison Zymkowitz has 24 hits, 14 runs scored, two doubles, a homer and nine RBIs. Sarah Reynolds leads the pitching staff with a 4-16 record, a 5.06 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 110.2 innings pitched.

Last Time We Met: The Mount St. Mary's softball team lost both games of a doubleheader to Long Island on Apr. 11, 2010. The Blackbirds won the opener 13-1 before posting a 6-2 win in the second game. Courtney Zingle had the Mount's lone hit in the opening game one while Amanda Hanson allowed nine runs (eight earned) in 4.1 innings to take the loss. Bianca Mejia went 4-for-4 with three runs scored, a double, two home runs and five RBI to pace Long Island. Starter Megan Sheaf struck out five while allowing one hit in the complete-game win. Amanda Sadowl allowed six runs (five earned) in a complete-game loss in game two for the Mount. Sarah Reynolds struck out three and allowed one earned run in a complete-game win for LIU. Mejia went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two home runs and three RBI to pace the Blackbirds to the win. Brynn Lewis was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs in the game as well.

Games 29 and 30: Mount St. Mary's (9-17, 1-3 NEC) at Wagner (2-20, 0-6 NEC)
When: Sun, Apr. 10, 2011, 12 p.m.
Where: Wagner Field, Staten Island, N.Y.

Series Information: Wagner leads 28-7
Last Meeting: Mount (6-0) 4-10-10
First Meeting: Wagner (7-1) 4-20-90
Last Mount Win: (8-4) 4-10-10

Opening Pitch: Sunday's doubleheader between Mount St. Mary's and Wagner marks the 36th and 37th meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 1990 season. Wagner leads the series 28-7, but the two teams have split the previous two twinbills.

The Word On Wagner: The Seahawks, who host Monmouth on Saturday, come into the contest 2-20 overall and 0-6 in Northeast Conference play after splitting a doubleheader with Lafayette on Wednesday. Amanda Garcia leads the team with 15 hits, four runs scored, a double, a homer and four RBIs. Ashley Olsen has 12 hits, three runs scored, a homer and four RBIs while Hailey Corthell has 10 hits, three runs scored, two doubles and four RBIs. Judy Betz leads the pitching staff with a 1-11 record, a 3.36 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 75.0 innings pitched.

Last Time We Met: Amanda Sadowl tossed an eight-hit shutout to lift Mount St. Mary's past Wagner 6-0 in the nightcap on Apr. 10, 2010. The Seahawks rallied to take the opener, 8-4. Sadowl pitched her fifth shutout of the season after throwing a complete-game eight hitter with two strikeouts in the nightcap. Amanda Buckel went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI in the nightcap for the Mount while Taylor Beebe went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the second game. Nicole Reeder posted three hits and a run scored and Courtney Zingle added two hits, a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored on the afternoon. Carley Nicoletti paced the Seahawks with six hits, three RBIs and a run scored while Amanda Garcia added four hits and two runs scored in the two games.

Last Time Out: Sacred Heart swept a doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's on Sunday. The Pioneers took the opener 7-3 and then won the nightcap 11-2 in six innings. Erin Leddy paced the Mount with three hits and three runs scored. Jenna Zimmerman had a hit and two RBIs in the opener while Chloe Mizianty notched a two-run homer for her first collegiate home run in the nightcap.

Next On Tap: Mount St. Mary's returns to Our Lady of the Meadows Field for seven of its final nine series, starting against UMBC on Tuesday.

Reeder Playing The The Top-10 Tune: Senior Nicole Reeder ranks in the Top-10 in five categories for her career and its knocking on the Top-10 in two categories. The senior is third in games played (177) and can move ahead of former teammate Lisa Curreri (184, 2007-10) for second by with eight games played. Reeder also ranks eighth in RBIs (65) with Erica Barone (67, 1998-01) two RBIs ahead of her. She also ranks fourth in walks (54), one behind Ashley Monsour (55, 2004-07) in third place. Reeder ranks fourth in plate appearances (479) with teammate Courtney Zingle (503) directly ahead of Reeder. The senior moved into fifth place for doubles (24) and can move ahead of Nicki Trumpler (27, 1996-99) with four twobaggers. Reeder is also 14 hits, four home runs and six total bases from cracking the Top-10 in each of those categories.

Top-10 Has A Nice Zing For Courtney: Senior Courtney Zingle ranks in the Top-10 in seven offensive career categories. Zingle is fifth in games played (170) and can tie Sarah Ramsburg (174, 2003-06) if she plays in all four games on the weekend. The senior is also third in at-bats (503) with former teammate Lisa Curreri (556, 2007-10) next on the list. She also ranks fourth for runs scored (79), needing 12 to pass Patti Schaefer (90, 1983-86). Zingle stands fourth in hits (141) with Danyale Goode (149, 2003-06) next up on the list. The senior is fourth in RBIs (73) with teammate Beth Everist (77) sitting in third place. Zingle also stands sixth in total bases (189) with Heather Macready (190, 1998-01) one ahead of her in fifth place and Erica Barone (194, 1998-01) sitting in fourth place. Zingle also recently moved into ninth place for career homer runs with nine, needing one to tie three former players for sixth place.

Mounting The Top-10 For Everist: Senior Beth Everist ranks in the Top-10 in home runs, RBIs and total bases and is climbing toward the Top-10 in two other categories. The senior is second in home runs (15) with all-time leader Danyale Goode (18, 2003-06) the only person ahead of Everist. She also sits third in RBIs (77) with Goode (82) next on the list. The senior just joined the Top-10 in total bases over the Mar. 26-27 weekend with 160 total bases and can move into eighth place with four total bases. Everist can move into the Top-10 with 31 hits and one double.

Taylor Made For Top-10: Junior Taylor Beebe is seven with 23 career doubles. Next on the list is teammate Nicole Reeder (24) and Nicki Wisniewski (24, 1998-99) in fifth place. The junior posted 14 doubles in her freshman year, which was the second most in program history for a single season. The junior moved into fifth place for bases on balls (50) with teammate Nicole Reeder (54) next on the list. Beebe moved into 10th place for runs scored (67) and can move into eighth place with two runs scored and ahead of Nancy Tenaglio (68, 1983-86) and Sue Murchie (68, 1984-87). She can also join the Top-10 with 42 hits, four home runs and 34 total bases.

All Hanson On Top-10: Senior Amanda Hanson ranks in the Top-10 for her career in games pitched, wins, innings pitched and strikeouts. The senior is fifth in games pitched (75) with Alicia Moraca (88, 2000-03) next on the list. Hanson ranks 10th in wins (14), two behind Haynie in ninth place. She also stands in ninth place for innings pitched (322.0) with Jamie Mataldi (356.0) next on the list. Hanson is also seventh in strikeouts and can become the sixth pitcher in program history with 200 punchouts with 19 strikeouts. Next on the list in strikeouts is Allison Moraca (212, 2000-03).

Sadowl Pitching Her Way Into The Top-10 Too: Junior Amanda Sadowl ranks ninth in program history in games pitched (68). Next on the list is Zena Edwards (69, 1987-89) for eighth place and Iris Haynie (74, 1992-95) in seventh place. She also sits in seventh place in wins (21). Sadowl became the seventh player in program history to become a 20-game winner and needs two wins to move ahead of Sue Merolla (22, 1985-88) for sixth place. Sadowl is ninth in strikeouts (132) and needs nine Ks to move ahead of Haynie (141). The junior moved into the Top-10 for innings pitched (307.1) against Coppin State on Mar. 17 with teammate Amanda Hanson (319.0) directly ahead of her.

UMBC All-Tournament Team: Beth Everist, Erin Leddy and Amanda Sadowl were named to the UMBC Tournament All-Tournament team. Everist batted .500 (5-for-10) in the three games with two runs scored a double and four RBIs. The senior went 4-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in a 9-0 win against UMBC on Friday. Everist also smacked her first home run of the season in the second inning against Iona to help the Mountaineers rally to a 4-3 victory against the Gaels. Leddy hit .375 (3-for-8) in the tournament with two runs scored, a homer and four RBIs. The sophomore propelled the Mount to the win against Iona with a three-run home run in the fifth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit and hand the Mountaineers the lead for good. Leddy coaxed a bases loaded RBI walk against the Retrievers and registered two hits in a 2-1 loss against Liberty on Friday. Sadowl tossed a three-hit complete-game shutout with four strikeouts in the win against UMBC. The right-hander scattered three hits and did not allow a runner past second base in the victory.

For Openers: Mount St. Mary's won its season open for the second-straight season and the third time in the last five years. Head coach Anna Nagro became the first coach in program history to win in her first game as a Mount head coach.

In Their Debut: Freshmen Katy Bobbitt and Cat Clifford both made their collegiate debut in the starting lineup against George Mason on Mar. 2. Bobbitt picked up her first collegiate hit in the seventh inning of the first game against the Patriots. Clifford notched her first collegiate hit against UMBC on Mar. 4. Fellow freshmen Courtney Mason and Lindsay Ruhle saw their first collegiate action as pinch runners in the second game against George Mason while Bre Lohman and Alyssa Silipino were used as pinch hitters against the Retrievers for their first college appearance.

Preseason Poll: The Mount St. Mary's softball team has been picked eighth in the Northeast Conference preseason poll. Long Island, who has won the NEC championship seven times in the last 10 years, nabbed nine of the 11 first-place votes to be selected as the preseason favorite. Monmouth garnered the other two first-place nods to finish second in the poll while Robert Morris, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Central Connecticut State, Wagner, the Mount, Bryant, Saint Francis (Pa.) and Fairleigh Dickinson rounded out the 11-team poll.

All-Conference Returners: Mount St. Mary's returns junior 2010 All-NEC second-team selection Taylor Beebe for the 2011 season. Fellow junior Liz Christiansen was named to the 2010 All-NEC first team and the inaugural Defensive Player of the Year, but will miss the season due to an injury.

The Roster: The 2011 softball roster is composed of five seniors, four juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen. Junior Liz Christiansen will sit out the year and red shirt due to an injury.

New To The Mountain: Along with first-year head coach Anna Nagro, freshmen Katy Bobbitt, Cat Clifford, Bre Lohman, Courtney Mason, Lindsey Ruhle and Alyssa Silipino join the softball team this season.

Local Products: Senior Jenna Zimmerman, a 2007 graduate of Walkersville High School, registered 54 hits, 32 runs scored, six doubles, a homer and 25 RBIs in her first two seasons at the Mount. Sophomore Emily Wilson joins the team after graduating from Tuscarora in 2009.

About The Coach: Anna Nagro enters her first season as the head coach of the Mount softball team. She comes the Mount from D'Youville College, a Division III program in Buffalo, N.Y. In three seasons with the Spartans, Nagro led the team to 42 victories. She took over a team that was coming off a 5-21 season in 2007 and guided the team to a 15-22 overall mark and 11-7 in conference for a 10-game improvement in her first season. D'Youville then went 17-17 overall and 13-3 in league play in her second season and the squad's final year in the Northeastern Athletic Conference.

Wivell Returns To The Field: Former Mount softball standout Jen (Sansevero) Wivell will be in her first season as an assistant coach at the Mount. Wivell garnered All-Northeast Conference second-team honors as a designated player in 2003 after batting .362 with five runs, 17 hits, seven doubles and eight RBI in NEC action. A two-year captain, Wivell left the Mount as the all-time leader in bases on balls (48) and currently sits in third place in the category.