Jacksonville, Fla. (February 22, 2014) –  For the fifth time in school history, the Mount softball team won the first two games of the season, defeating Bethune-Cookman, 3-2, and Savannah State, 9-6, on Saturday at the Jacksonville University Tournament. The last time the Mount was 2-0 was 2010.

A win in tomorrow's first game versus Illinois Chicago would give the Mount its first 3-0 start since 1988, which was the program's final year at the Division II level.

MOUNT 3 – BETHUNE-COOKMAN 2
Senior pitcher Nicole Pagano tossed a complete game seven-hitter, while striking out seven to carry the Mount to a 3-2 win over Bethune-Cookman in the season opener.

Falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, the Mount loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame with one out. B-CU pitcher Sabrina Anguiano struck out the next two batters to escape the inning without yielding a run.

The Wildcats took a 2-0 advantage on Kelsey Rodney's double down the right field line in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Megan Baker singled to center and took second on Jessica Greenewald's sacrifice. Rachel Teti followed up with a single to right field to plate Baker and cut the Mount's deficit to 2-1.

The Mount leveled the score at 2-2 on Lindsey Ruhle's single to center to score Sam Lichtner. The next batter, Marisa Mayes, reached on a fielder's choice while an error on the play allowed Rachel Heinze to scamper home from third for a 3-2 lead.

Pagano struck out the first two hitters in the seventh before getting the final Wildcat hitter to ground up to secure her 39th career victory to move into sole possession of second place on the Mount's all-time wins list.

MOUNT 9 – SAVANNAH STATE 6 (9 Innings)
Despite recording just three hits in game two of Saturday's doubleheader, the Mount took down Savannah State, 9-6, to improve to 2-0.

The Mount manufactured a run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. Rachel Gavigan and Cat Clifford reached base on back-to-back fielders choices before Holly Buckel was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Heinze walked on five pitches to force home the first run of the game.

Two more runs in the top of the second expanded the Mount's edge to 3-0. After a passed ball allowed Mayes to take third and Greenewald take second, Gavigan drove in both runs on a line drive single with two outs.

Savannah State got one run back in the bottom of the second. The Tigers were down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh before two runs tied the game at 3-3 to force extra innings. Savannah State picked up runs on back-to-back singles.

Both teams scored in the eighth inning to move the game to the ninth. The Mount loaded the bases then tallied runs on walks from Teti and Greenewald, an RBI ground out by Tori Belloc and a two-run double by Clifford for a 9-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

The Tigers got two runs back to cut the Mount's lead to 9-6, but it was not enough.

Freshman Sam Lichtner earned her first career victory, pitching five innings in relief. Lichtner fanned six while giving up two earned runs on six hits. The Mount's starter, Danni Cummings, went four innings with three hits and one earned run.

Tomorrow, the Mount takes on Illinois Chicago at 8 a.m. and Bethune-Cookman at 3 p.m.