Games 32 and 33: Saint Francis (Pa.) (9-29, 1-7 NEC) at Mount St. Mary's (11-21, 1-7 NEC)
When: Sun, Apr. 17, 2011, 12 p.m.
Where: Our Lady of The Meadows Field, Emmitsburg, Md.

Series Information: Saint Francis (Pa.) leads 42-19
Last Meeting: Mount (10-3) 5-7-10
First Meeting: Mount (12-0) 4-9-87
Last Mount Win: (4-2) 3-28-09

Opening Pitch: Sunday's doubleheader between Mount St. Mary's and Saint Francis (Pa.) marks the 62nd and 63rd meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 1987 season.  The Red Flash has won five of the last seven meetings and holds a 42-19 in the series. The Mount won 10-3 last year in the only meeting between the two teams.

The Word On Saint Francis (Pa.): The Red Flash comes into the doubleheader 9-29 overall and 1-7 in Northeast Conference play after splitting a twinbill with Bucknell on Thursday. Katie McMellen leads the team with a .302 batting average, 35 hits, 11 runs scored, a double, a triple and 13 RBIs. Jasa Mitchell is hitting .299 with 32 hits, 14 runs scored, nine doubles, three homers and 13 RBIs while Paige Smith has 30 hits, 17 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple and nine RBIs. Megan Layne leads the pitching staff with an 8-18 record, a 3.37 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 156.0 innings pitched.

Last Time We Met: Liz Christiansen knocked in five runs to lead Mount St. Mary's past Saint Francis (Pa.) 10-3 on May 7, 2010. Christiansen went 3-for-5 with a homer, five RBIs and a run scored in the squad's season finale. Taylor Beebe added two hits, including a homer run, three RBIs and two runs scored for the Mount while Amanda Sadowl earned the win after allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits with three strikeouts. The sophomore tied the program record with 14 wins in a single season. Taylor Darneille paced the Red Flash (14-36, 5-14 NEC) with a hit, a run scored and an RBI in the loss.

Games 34 and 35: Bryant (17-15, 7-3 NEC) at Mount St. Mary's (11-21, 1-7 NEC)
When: Mon, Apr. 18, 2011, 12 p.m.
Where: Our Lady of The Meadows Field, Emmitsburg, Md.

Series Information: Mount leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Mount (11-6) 3-27-10
First Meeting: Mount (4-0) 3-27-10
Last Bryant Win: N/A

Opening Pitch: Monday's doubleheader between Mount St. Mary's and Bryant marks the third and fourth meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 2010. The Mount swept the first two meetings in the series in Smithfield last year.

The Word On Bryant: The Bulldogs come into the weekend 17-15 overall and 7-3 in Northeast Conference play after falling 6-5 to Boston University on Thursday. Aubrey Mable leads the team with a .429 batting average, 33 hits, 21 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples, three homers and 19 RBIs. Lauren Guy ranks second on the team with a .344 batting average, 21 hits, 14 runs scored, seven doubles, two triples, a home run and 11 RBIs while Kendall Corder is batting .284 with 23 hits, 18 runs scored, four doubles, four homers and 19 RBIs. Brittany Hart paces the pitching staff with a 7-7 record, a 3.49 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 84.1 innings pitched.

Last Time We Met: Liz Christiansen homered in the first game and Beth Everist had a home run in the second game to lead Mount St. Mary's on Mar. 27, 2010. The Mount the opener 4-0 and then took the nightcap 11-6. Christiansen went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the first game and added a hit and a run scored in the nightcap. Everist drilled her sixth home run of the season as part of Mount St. Mary's six-run first inning in the nightcap. Everist went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the second game after notching two hits in the opener. Amanda Sadowl tossed a two-hit complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts in the opener for her eighth win of the year. The sophomore then pitched the final 2.1 innings in the nightcap with one strikeout for her first career save. Ashley Lodato had three hits on the afternoon with two RBIs and a run score while Courtney Zingle registered three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Jennifer Jacob paced the Bulldogs with two hits, four RBIs and two runs scored in the nightcap.

Last Time Out: Jenna Zimmerman's walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted Mount St. Mary's to a doubleheader sweep of visiting UMBC in softball action at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on Thursday afternoon. Mount St. Mary's (11-21) won the first game, 5-4, before rallying for a 6-5 victory in eight innings in the nightcap.

Next On Tap: After the two conference games this weekend, the Mount will host two teams and will travel for a one conference doubleheader. The Mountaineers will host George Mason on Wednesday, head to Robert Morris on Friday before hosting Monmouth on Saturday afternoon. 

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 (183) and can move ahead of former teammate Lisa Curreri (184, 2007-10) for second by playing two games. Reeder also ranks ninth in RBIs (65) with Erica Barone (67, 1998-01) two RBIs ahead of her. With four walks against UMBC on Apr. 14, the senior became the program's all-time career bases on balls leader and now stands at 58. Reeder ranks fourth in plate appearances (493) with teammate Courtney Zingle (523) directly ahead of Reeder. The senior moved into sixth place for doubles (25) with Nicki Trumpler (27, 1996-99) next on the list. Reeder is also 10 hits, four home runs and one total base 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 fourth in games played (176) with with teammate Nicole Reeder (183) next on the line.  The senior is also third in at-bats (523) with former teammate Lisa Curreri (556, 2007-10) next on the list. She also ranks fourth for runs scored (82), needing 11 to pass Patti Schaefer (90, 1983-86). Zingle stands fourth in hits (147) with Danyale Goode (149, 2003-06) next up on the list. The senior is fourth in RBIs (64) with teammate Beth Everist (80) and Goode (82) sitting in second place. Zingle also stands fifth in total bases (196) with Goode (237) next in line. 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, total bases and doubles and is climbing toward the Top-10 in one other category. The senior is second in home runs (16) with all-time leader Danyale Goode (18, 2003-06) the only person ahead of Everist. She also sits second in RBIs (82) former teammate Amanda Burk (102, 2006-09) the only person ahead of her. The senior just joined the Top-10 in total bases with 169 with Nicki Trumpler (185) next up. The senior cracked the Top-10 for doubles and sits in ninth place with 22 twobaggers. Next on the list is Amanda Blizzard (23, 1999-02). Everist can move into the Top-10 with 26 hits.

Taylor Made For Top-10: Junior Taylor Beebe is fourth with 28 career doubles with Erica Barone (30, 1998-01) in third 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 (52) with Ashley Monsour (55, 2004-07) next on the list. Beebe moved into seventh place for runs scored (75) with Tonia Bruno (79, 1994-97) next on the list. She can also join the Top-10 with 33 hits, four home runs and 19 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 (77) 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 (334.1) 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 15 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 eighth in program history in games pitched (71). She also sits in sixth place in wins (22). Sadowl became the seventh player in program history to become a 20-game winner and needs two wins to move ahead of Reanna Tuczynski (24, 2004-07) for ffth place. Sadowl is ninth in strikeouts (138) and needs four Ks to move ahead of Haynie (141). The junior moved into the Top-10 for innings pitched (319.2).

Here Comes Pagano Too... Sophomore Nicole Pagano has moved into 10th place in program history for career strikeouts with 116. Teammate Amanda Sadowl is next on the list with 138 Ks. The sophomore is also three wins away from teammate Amanda Hanson (14) for 10th place for career wins at the Mount.

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.