Game 20: Mount St. Mary's (5-13) vs. Rhode Island (4-11)
When: Fri, Mar. 16, 2011, 6:20 p.m.
Where: Coppin State Field, Baltimore, Md.
Series Information: Mount leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Mount (5-0) 3-24-10
First Meeting: Mount (5-0) 3-24-10
Last Rhode Island Win: N/A
Opening Pitch: Friday's game between Mount St. Mary's and Rhode Island marks the second meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2010 season. The Mount downed Rams 5-0 in Emmitsburg in the only meeting in the history of the series.
About the Rams: Rhode Island comes into the tournament 4-11 after falling 9-4 to Princeton on Sunday. Courtney Prendergast leads the team with a .435 batting average, 20 hits, nine runs scored, three doubles, three homers and nine RBIs. Nicole Massoni ranks second on the squad with a .417 batting average, 15 hits, five runs, one double, three homers and nine RBIs while Brittany Julich is hitting .357 with 20 hits, 14 runs scored, seven doubles, a homer and six RBIs. Cara Martin leads the team with a 1-2 record and 11 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched.
Last Time We Met: Liz Christiansen knocked in three runs to lead Mount St. Mary's past Rhode Island 5-0 on Mar. 24, 2010. Christiansen went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and an RBI single to propel the Mount to its third-straight home-opening win. Amanda Sadowl lost her no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning, finishing with a two-hit complete-game shutout and two strikeouts for her sixth win of the year while Lisa Curreri had a hit, two runs scored and an RBI in the winning effort. Melissa Wilson broke up Sadowl's no-hitter with a single to center field while Erika Szymanski also recorded a hit in the final stanza for the Rams in the loss.
Game 21: Mount St. Mary's (5-13) vs. Sacred Heart (4-11)
When: Sat, Mar. 17, 2011, 3:45 p.m.
Where: UMBC Softball Complex, Baltimore, Md.
Series Information: Sacred Heart leads 18-8
Last Meeting: Sacred Heart (11-2) 4-3-11
First Meeting: Sacred Heart (6-0) 4-13-86
Last Mount Win: (6-5) 4-18-09
Opening Pitch: Saturday's non-conference matchup between Northeast Conference rivals Mount St. Mary's and Sacred Heart marks the 25 meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 1986 season. The Pioneers have won four straight in the series and lead the matchup 18-8. The Mount's last win in the series was a 6-5 decision in 2009. The two teams will battle three times in a span of eight days since the two teams will face each other in NEC play on Mar. 25.
About the Pioneers: Sacred Heart comes into the weekend 4-11 after falling 8-0 to Utah Valley on Saturday. Carley Rudloff leads the team with a .324 batting average, 12 hits, three runs scored, a double and three RBIs. Nicole Sidor ranks second on the team with a .271 batting average, 13 hits, seven runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs while Liz Tsipouras has 11 hits, five runs scored, five doubles, a triple, two homers and five RBIs. Sidor is also the squad's top hurler with a 4-5 record, a 1.47 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 52.1 innings pitched.
Last Time We Met: Sacred Heart swept a doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's on Apr. 3, 2011. 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. Liz Tsipouras paced Sacred Heart with four hits, six RBIs and three runs scored while Taylor Froelich added six hits, four runs scored and two RBIs on the afternoon.
Game 22: Mount St. Mary's (5-13) vs. Brown (1-4)
When: Sun, Mar. 18, 2011, 11:25 p.m.
Where: UMBC Softball Complex, Baltimore, Md.
Series Information: Series Tied 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A
First Meeting: 3-18-12
Last Mount Win: N/A
Opening Pitch: Sunday's game between Mount St. Mary's and Brown marks the first meeting in the all-time series between the two programs. The Mount is 3-5-1 against teams from the Ivy League (Columbia [0-2], Cornell [2-2-1], Princeton [1-1]).
About the Bears: Brown comes into the week 1-4 after falling 17-3 to Iowa State on Mar. 4. Danielle Palms leads the team with a .538 batting average, seven hits, two runs scored, a double and two RBIs. Alyssa Caplan is second with a .500 batting average, six hits, two runs scored, a double and two RBIs while Stephanie Thompson is batting .429 with six hits, four runs scored, three doubles, a homer and five RBIs. Jessica Chereness is 1-1 with three strikeouts in 9.1 innings pitched.
Game 23: Mount St. Mary's (5-13) vs. Georgetown
When: Sun, Mar. 18, 2011, 3:45 p.m.
Where: UMBC Softball Complex, Baltimore, Md.
Series Information: Mount leads 6-2
Last Meeting: Georgetown (7-3) 3-21-10
First Meeting: Mount (9-2) 3-11-06
Last Mount Win: (5-4) 4-26-07
Opening Pitch: Sunday's game between Mount St. Mary's and Georgetown marks the ninth meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2006 season. The Mount leads the series 6-2, but the Hoyas have won the last two matchups. The Mount's last win in the series was a 5-4 decision in 2007.
About the Hoyas: Georgetown comes into the weekend 10-15 after defeating Drexel 3-0 on Wednesday. Shikara Lowe leads the team with a .385 batting average, 25 hits, 13 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, three homers and 16 RBIs. Cara Savarese is second on the team with a .316 batting average, 18 hits, seven runs scored and eight RBIs while Samantha Findling is hitting .278 with 15 hits, nine runs scored, two doubles and four RBIs. Lauren O'Leary is the top hurler with a 4-7 record, a 3.14 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 63.0 innings pitched.
Last Time We Met: Georgetown overcame a deficit to defeat Mount St. Mary's 7-3 at the UMBC Softball Spring Classic on Mar. 21, 2010. Lisa Curreri paced the Mountaineers with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs while Courtney Zingle added three hits and two runs scored on the afternoon.
Last Time Out: George Washington swept a non-conference softball doubleheader on Tuesday. The Colonials won 3-0 in the opener and earned a 5-4 victory in nine innings in the nightcap. Holly Buckel posted two hits in the second game for the Mount while Rachel Teti had a two-run double in the nightcap.
Next On Tap: Mount St. Mary's opens up Northeast Conference play with its home opener against Quinnipiac on Mar. 24. The Mount will also host Sacred Heart during that weekend on Mar. 25.
Leaders On Top Of The Mountain: Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen leads the team in runs (7), hits (14), home runs (4), RBIs (12) and total bases (27). Freshman Holly Buckel has the top batting average on the team at .289. Seniors Taylor Beebe and Chloe Mizianty are tied with Christiansen for the team lead with seven runs scored. Sophomore Cat Clifford ranks second on the team in hits (13) and RBIs (9). Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano is the squad's top hurler with a 4-3 record, a 1.96 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 50.0 innings pitched.
Station To Station No More: During its 13 games in Florida, the Mount posted four extra base hits. In the four games at the Dawg Pound Invitational, the Mountaineers registered eight extra base hits after smacking seven home runs and a triple. Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen smacked four home runs in four games while junior Alexa Tuck, and sophomores Cat Clifford and Bre Lohman each notched their first career home run over the weekend. Freshman Holly Buckel added the squad's first threebagger of the year.
The New Home Run Queen: Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen smacked four home runs at the Dawg Pound Invitational to establish a new program record at the Mount for career home runs with 19.
No-No Pagano: Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano tossed a five-inning no-hitter in an 11-0 win against UMBC on Mar. 10. It was the squad's first no-hitter since Amanda Hanson had a five inning no-hitter in a 30-0 win against Coppin State on Mar. 27, 2008.
Pagano Honored: Nicole Pagano was named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Pitcher of the Week for the week of Feb. 20-26. It marked the second time the redshirt sophomore has received the league's weekly award. Pagano opened the season 1-1 with 11 strikeouts and a 1.00 ERA in a pair of complete-game efforts against Stetson. The redshirt sophomore handed the Hatters its first loss of the season and controlled a Stetson offense that averaged 7.6 runs per game in its first six games. Pagano tossed a one-hit shutout with five strikeouts in a 1-0 win against the Hatters on Friday for the Mount's first win of the season. She then faced the Hatters again on Sunday, allowing two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in her second complete-game of the season in a 2-0 loss. Pagano started the campaign with 12 scoreless innings.
Preseason Poll: The Mount St. Mary's softball team has been picked 10th in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Preseason Coaches Poll. Robert Morris, the defending NEC regular season champion, nabbed six first-place votes to be tabbed as the preseason favorite. Quinnipiac garnered three first-place nods to finish second in the poll while the defending NEC Tournament champions Sacred Heart received one first-place vote to place third. Bryant, LIU Brooklyn, Central Connecticut State, Monmouth, Fairleigh Dickinson, Wagner, the Mount and Saint Francis (Pa.) rounded out the 11-team poll. Monmouth received the final first-place vote.
All-Conference Returners: While the Mount did not receive any All-Northeast Conference selections last season, redshirt junior Liz Christiansen returns in 2012 after missing the 2011 campaign due to an injury. 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 three seniors, five juniors, seven sophomores and eight freshmen.
New To The Mountain: Head coach Anna Nagro has added eight newcomers to her team in 2012. Casey Beck, Holly Buckel, Danni Cummings, Kendra Hayward, Maria Santiago, Kayla Spataro, Hayley Stankan and Rachel Teti have joined the team in 2012.
Christiansen Powering Up On The All-Time Charts: Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen returns for the 2012 season after missing the 2011 campaign due to injury. Christiansen became the program's all-time career leader in home runs after hitting a solo shot against Niagara on Mar. 11 and now stands at 19 career homers. The redshirt junior also ranks fifth in RBIs with 74 and can move into fourth place with eight RBIs. Christiansen is also creeping up on the career Top-10 list in doubles (17) and total bases (159). She needs six doubles and five total bases to crack the Top-10 in those categories.
Taylor Made For Top-10: Senior Taylor Beebe ranks third in career doubles with 30. Next on the list is former teammate Lisa Curreri (34, 2007-10) in second place while former teammate Amanda Burk (39, 2006-09) is the program's all-time leader. The senior also ranks fifth in runs scored with 86, two away from former teammate Courtney Zingle (88, 2008-11). She is also moving closer to the Top-10 in hits, sitting at 110 hits and 15 away from the Top-10.
Sadowl Pitching Her Way Into The Top-10: Senior Amanda Sadowl ranks sixth in career wins (23), one win away from Reanna Tuczynski (24, 2009-11). The senior also sits in fifth place for games pitched with 85, three away from Allison Moraca (88, 2000-03). Sadowl is ninth in strikeouts with 160, trailing teammate Nicole Pagano (179). She is also eighth in innings pitched with 380.1. Next on the list is Iris Haynie (396.1, 1992-95).
Here Comes Pagano Too... Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano has moved into eighth place in career strikeouts with 179. Next on the list is former teammate Amanda Hanson (192, 2008-11). She also moved into eighth place for career wins with 17. Next on the list is Sue Merolla (22, 1985-88). With three wins, Pagano will become the eighth career 20-game winning in program history.
Local Products: Freshman Holly Buckel, a 2011 graduate of North Carroll, and freshman Rachel Teti, a 2011 graduate of Linganore, have joined the team this season and hail from Carroll County and Frederick County, respectively.
Family Tradition Continued: Freshman Holly Buckel is the second Buckel to play at Mount St. Mary's. Holy's sister, Amanda, was a four-year letterwinner on the Mount softball team and a 2010 graduate of the Mount. Amanda Buckel was named to the All-NEC first team in her senior season.
Zingle Returns: Courtney Zingle, a 2011 graduate of the Mount, returns to her alma mater to serve as an assistant coach in 2012. Zingle ranks in the Top-10 in program history in games played (190), at bats (571), runs scored (88), hits (165), runs batted in (88), doubles (27), home runs (10) and total bases (222).
About The Coach: Anna Nagro enters her second season as the head coach of the Mount softball team. The Mount went 21-44 overall and 5-15 in Northeast Conference play under the coach.
