Emmitsburg, Md. (April 21, 2015) – After falling in game one of Tuesday's home doubleheader to UMBC by an 11-5 final score, the Mount St. Mary's University softball team battled back for a 4-2 victory on the strength of a three-run home run from Rachel Heinze (Charlotte Hall, Md.) in the nightcap to earn a split at Our Lady of the Meadows Field.

Sophomore pitcher Sam Lichtner (Morgantown, Pa.) tossed all seven innings in game two to pick up her second victory of the season for the Mount (7-27). The Mountaineers have now won eight of the last nine meetings with UMBC (21-18).

"I told the girls at the beginning of the game that we were at a turning point for this program, and how we played today defined who we were for the rest of the year," Mount St. Mary's Head Coach Anna Nagro said. "I am so proud of the way that they continued to fight. Sam (Lichtner) had a great day on the mound, and we had some timely hitting, which is always a good combination."

GAME ONE: UMBC 11 – Mount St. Mary's 5

The Retrievers sprinted out to a 7-0 lead through two innings and never looked back en route to an 11-5 game one victory. The visitors went on to tack on two more runs in the top of the fourth to take a comfortable 9-0 lead.

The Mountaineers got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Marisa Mayes (Mesa, Ariz.) legged out a triple after roping the ball down the left field line followed by a single from Tori Belloc (Casa Grande, Ariz.) that allowed Mayes to score.

UMBC tacked on a single run in the fifth, but the Mount continued to fight with a four-run fifth. Rachel Teti (Mt. Airy, Md.) laced an RBI double to right center, and Belloc cracked a three-run homer three batters later to trim the Mount's deficit to 10-5.

UMBC's Tori Alexander gave the Retrievers more breathing room with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.

In the circle, Jessica Holte fanned eight batters and pitched a complete game to earn the win for the Retrievers. For the Mount, Danni Cummings (Owings, Md.) struck out seven batters in 6.1 innings of relief, yielding four earned runs on nine hits.

GAME TWO: Mount St. Mary's 4 – UMBC 2

The Mountaineers were able to bounce back by outhitting UMBC by a 10-6 margin to pick up a 4-2 victory in game two.

With UMBC holding a 2-0 edge heading into the bottom of the third, the Mount chipped away with a run when Morgan Alisauckas (Pottsville, Pa.) singled up the middle to plate Jessica Greenewald (Morrisville, Pa.) from second.

Down 2-1, Heinze delivered the clutch two out three-run home run over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the fourth that proved to be the difference in the game. 

Lichtner tossed 109 pitches in the complete-game effort to secure the victory for the Mount. The sophomore scattered six hits and gave up two unearned runs on the day. For UMBC, Kim Puccio was tabbed with the loss after giving up four runs on 10 hits.

UP NEXT: The Mount plays at home for the final time this season with a doubleheader versus George Mason tomorrow at 3 p.m.

-- Mount St. Mary's University Athletics --