Emmitsburg, Md. (March 28, 2015) – After suffering a 13-0 loss to defending Northeast Conference Champion Bryant in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, the Mount St. Mary's softball team fought back for a 6-5 win in game two to earn a split at Our Lady of the Meadows field to open league play.

Senior pitcher Danni Cummings (Owings, Md.) picked up her third victory of the week for the Mount (6-17, 1-1 NEC) by tossing a complete game in the nightcap. The win helps the Mount snap a four-game losing streak versus the Bulldogs (8-18, 1-1 NEC).

"I am so proud of how this team bounced back from a tough loss," Mount St. Mary's Head Coach Anna Nagro said. "This team is full of fight and passion, and they never quit. I am so happy for our senior Danni, who pitched her heart out, and the rest of the team for staying mentally tough and coming together to find a way to win as a team."

GAME ONE: Bryant 13 – Mount St. Mary's 0 (5 Innings)

Bryant jumped on the Mount early and never looked back en route to a 13-0 win in five innings in game one. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the first and four more in the second to seize control of the game.

Bryant would go on to score two runs in the third and three in the fourth to pull away.

Starting pitcher Elle Madsen gave up just four hits while pitching all five innings for Bryant. At the dish, Madsen went 3-for-4 and scored three runs.

Hayley Bottino drove in four runs, including two on a first-inning triple to lead the Bulldogs' offense in game one.

For the Mountaineers, freshman Niki Gonzalez (Tucson, Ariz.) went 2-for-2, accounting for half of the team's hits in the opening game. Fellow freshman Marian Ruf (Mesa, Ariz.) was tagged with the loss, allowing nine earned runs on 13 hits in her first career NEC start.

GAME TWO: Mount St. Mary's 6 – Bryant 5

The Mountaineers quickly put game one behind them with four runs in the bottom of the first inning of game two on the way to a 6-5 victory. 

The Mount loaded the bases in the first and scored the first run of the game when Rachel Teti (Mt. Airy, Md.) reached on an error. Back-to-back singles from Gonzalez and Tori Belloc (Casa Grande, Ariz.) gave the Mount two more runs before Marisa Mayes (Mesa, Ariz.) knocked in the final run of the frame on a fielder's choice.

Bryant answered right back with Bottino and Taylor Burger smacking solo home runs on consecutive at bats to cut the Mount's lead down to 4-2 in the second.

Mayes recorded another RBI in the third inning, sending Belloc home from third on a single down the left field line to build the Mount's lead back up to 5-2.

The Mount's advantage quickly evaporated when Burger hit her second home run of the day, this time driving in three runs in the top of the fourth to level the score at 5-5.

The score would remain deadlocked until the bottom of the fifth when Rachel Gavigan (Vineland, N.J.) drove in what proved to be the game-winning run on an RBI double to plate Rachel Heinze (Charlotte Hall, Md.).

From there, Cummings was able to close the door, not allowing a runner past first base in the final two innings. Cummings fanned five batters and gave up five runs on eight hits to improve her record to 3-5 on the season.

UP NEXT: The Mount will play a road doubleheader at Robert Morris tomorrow in Moon Township, Pa. Games are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m.