Games 28 and 29: Mount St. Mary's (7-20, 1-3 NEC) at Bryant (6-14, 0-0 NEC)
When: Sat, Mar. 31, 2012, 1 p.m.
Where: Bryant Softball Complex, Smithfield, R.I.
Series Information: Mount leads 3-1
Last Meeting: Bryant (7-6) 4-18-11
First Meeting: Mount (4-0) 3-27-10
Last Mount Win: (1-0) 4-18-11
Opening Pitch: Saturday's doubleheader between Mount St. Mary's and Bryant marks the fifth and sixth meetings in program history dating back to the 2010 season. The Mount has won three out of the four games. Last year, the two teams split the twinbill with the Mountaineers taking the opener 1-0 before the Bulldogs downed Mount St. Mary's 7-6 on Apr. 18, 2011.
About The Bulldogs: Bryant comes into the doubleheader 6-14 overall and 0-0 in Northeast Conference play after defeating Harvard 15-6 on Tuesday. Aubrey Mable leads the team with a .418 batting average, 23 hits, 16 runs scored, four doubles, a triple, three homers and 17 RBIs. Madeline Velasquez is second on the squad with a .370 batting average, 17 hits, six runs scored, six doubles, a homer and 10 RBIs while Lauren Guy is batting .362 with 21 hits, 14 runs scored, three doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs. Jennifer Jacob is the team's top hurler with a 4-9 record and 23 strikeouts in 69.0 innings pitched.
Last Time We Met: Mount St. Mary's split a doubleheader against Bryant on Apr. 18, 2011. The Mount posted a 1-0 win in the opening game before falling 7-6 in game two. Erin Leddy was 2-for-3 at the plate in game one while Beebe was 2-for-4 in the victory. Bryant starter Samantha Houseal allowed one earned run and six hits and 6.1 innings to take the loss. Lauren Guy had two of Bryant's three hits in the game. Courtney Zingle went 2-for-4 in game two to pace the Mount offense. Amanda Sadowl allowed six runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss while Amanda Hanson allowed one run in 1.2 innings of relief. Amy Weinberg and Kate Murray each went 2-for-3 at the plate for Bryant in game two.
Games 30 and 31: Mount St. Mary's (7-20, 1-3 NEC) at Central Connecticut State (18-10, 0-2 NEC)
When: Sun, Apr. 1, 2011, 12 p.m.
Where: Softball Field, New Britain, Conn.
Series Information: Series Tied 13-13
Last Meeting: CCSU (8-7) 5-1-11
First Meeting: Mount (7-6) 4-2-99
Last Mount Win: (12-1) 3-28-10
Opening Pitch: Sunday's twinbill between Mount St. Mary's and Central Connecticut State marks the 27th and 28th meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 1999 season. The Blue Devils won both contests last year to even the series at 13 games apiece. The Mount's last win in the series was a 12-1 decision in 2010.
About the Blue Devils: Central Connecticut State comes into the contest 18-10 overall and 0-2 in Northeast Conference play after sweeping a doubleheader against Fairfield on Tuesday. Rebecca Mussatti leads the team with a .316 batting average with 24 hits, 25 runs scored, five doubles, four triples, a homer and 15 RBIs. Macy Stefanski is second on the team with a .303 batting average, 23 hits, 10 runs scored, a double and eight RBIs while Kelsey Barlow is batting .302 with 16 hits, five runs scored, three doubles, a home run and 12 RBIs. Hurler Laura Messina is 12-4 with a 1.81 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 108.1 innings pitched.
Last Time We Met: Central Connecticut State swept doubleheader on May 1, 2011. The Blue Devils won the opener 10-5 and then rallied in the nightcap, 8-7. Jenna Zimmerman paced the Mount with a 4-for-7 afternoon along with three RBIs and two runs scored while Chloe Mizianty went 5-for-9 in the two games with three RBIs and a run scored. Courtney Zingle added a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored and an RBI. Katherine Knowles fueled the Blue Devils with a 6-for-8 performance with five RBIs and two runs scored. Arielle Bruno added four hits, three runs scored and two RBIs.
Last Time Out: Sacred Heart swept a doubleheader on Sunday. The Pioneers won the opener 1-0 and then took the nightcap, 2-1. Chloe Mizianty paced the Mount with three hits while Alyssa Silipino plated the squad's lone run of the afternoon on a bases loaded walk.
Next On Tap: Mount St. Mary's continues its 11-game road trip at Canisius on Thursday and at Niagara on Apr. 6. The squad returns to Our Lady of the Meadows Field against Robert Morris on Apr. 15.
Leaders On Top Of The Mountain: Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen leads the team in hits (18), runs (8), home runs (4), RBIs (15) and total bases (31). Freshman Holly Buckel leads the team in batting average (.300) and hits (18). Sophomore Cat Clifford leads the team in doubles (3) and is tied for the team lead in runs (8) and hits (18) while ranking second in home runs (2) and RBIs (13). Seniors Taylor Beebe and Chloe Mizianty are tied for the team lead with eight runs scored and freshman Rachel Teti is tied for second with three doubles. Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano is the squad's top hurler with a 6-6 record, a 1.38 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 81.0 innings pitched.
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.
Perfect No-No Pagano: Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano became the first Mount player in Division I history to toss a perfect game against Rhode Island on Mar. 16 in an 8-0 five inning win. She faced 15 batters in five innings and had eight strikeouts. Pagano is the first Mount player to toss two no-hitters in her career in Mount Division I history after tossing 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. Mount St. Mary's has recorded five no-no's in its Division I era.
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.
Pagano Honored Again: Nicole Pagano was named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Pitcher of the Week for the week of Mar. 19-25. It is the second time this season the redshirt sophomore has earned the honor and the third time in her career.Pagano went 1-2 in the week with a 0.36 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched. She tossed one-hitter in an eight-inning 1-0 win against Quinnipiac on Mar. 23 with six strikeouts. The redshirt sophomore stayed on the mound in the nightcap and held the Bobcats to one unearned run over four innings with one strikeout in a 2-0 loss. She held Quinnipiac off the scoreboard for 11 innings before it scored an unearned run in the fourth and threw 171 pitches on the day. Pagano allowed one run on five hits with four strikeouts in a 1-0 loss against Sacred Heart on Mar. 25.
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 77 and can move into fourth place with five RBIs. Christiansen is also creeping up on the career Top-10 list in doubles (17) and total bases (163). She needs six doubles and one total base 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 87, one 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 87, one away from Allison Moraca (88, 2000-03). Sadowl is ninth in strikeouts with 162, trailing former teammate Amanda Hanson (192, 2008-11). She is also eighth in innings pitched with 390.0. Next on the list is Iris Haynie (396.1, 1992-95).
Here Comes Pagano Too... Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano has moved into seventh place in career strikeouts with 206 and can move ahead of Allison Moraca (212, 2000-03) with seven strikeouts. She also moved into eighth place for career wins with 19. Next on the list is Sue Merolla (22, 1985-88). With one win, 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 is 23-50 overall and 6-18 in Northeast Conference play under the coach.
