MOUNT ST. MARY'S (6-20, 1-3 NEC) vs. SAINT FRANCIS U (20-8, 1-1 NEC)
Saturday, April 11, 2015 | Doubleheader | 1 & 3 p.m.
Our Lady of the Meadows Field | Emmitsburg, Md.
MOUNT ST. MARY'S (6-20, 1-3 NEC) vs. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT (17-7, 4-0 NEC)
Sunday, April 12, 2015 | Doubleheader | 12 & 2 p.m.
Our Lady of the Meadows Field | Emmitsburg, Md.
MOUNT UPDATE: The Mount St. Mary's University softball team is scheduled to host four games this weekend at Our Lady of the Meadows Field, where the team has gone 4-3 on the season. The Mount opens the weekend with Saint Francis U on Saturday, April 11, with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. before hosting Central Connecticut on Sunday, April 12, for two more games starting at noon. The Mount's starting lineup includes four players hitting .300 or better led by Niki Gonzalez and her .364 average.
LAST TIME OUT: Due to a rainout last weekend, the Mount has not competed since a 13-8 home loss to Cornell on March 31. In a game that was called during the sixth inning due to rain, freshman Niki Gonzalez hit her fourth home run of the season, but it was not enough as Cornell pounded 13 runs on 13 hits for the road win.
ABOUT SAINT FRANCIS: The Red Flash has accumulated a league-best 20 wins this season and are coming off a sweep at Akron on March 31. Saint Francis U has also swept Maryland and beat Villanova in a single game this season. In the circle, SFU pitcher Blaire Lauthers ranks fourth in the nation with a 0.86 ERA, while Taylor Parsons leads the team with a .355 batting average and six triples.
LAST SEASON VS. SAINT FRANCIS U: Mount St. Mary's concluded the 2014 season with two road losses to Saint Francis U. The Mountaineers dropped game one, 3-2, before a 4-0 loss in the nightcap. Offensively for the Mount, Jessica Greenewald, Lindsey Ruhle and Alyssa Silipino racked up three hits apiece on the day.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SAINT FRANCIS U: The Mountaineers carry a 23-46 mark versus the Red Flash entering Saturday's doubleheader. The Mount is 13-20 at home against Saint Francis with the Red Flash taking the last three meetings between the two sides.
ABOUT CCSU: The first-place Blue Devils are off to a 4-0 start in Northeast Conference play after sweeping doubleheaders with FDU and Sacred Heart. Reigning NEC Player of the Week Laura Messina holds a 13-3 record on the season with a 1.01 ERA. The senior pitcher has struck out 150 batters while walking just 14 in 117.1 innings of work. CCSU will take on Wagner on Saturday before traveling to Emmitsburg for Sunday's doubleheader.
LAST SEASON VS. CCSU: Mount pitcher Nicole Pagano allowed just three earned runs in two complete games, but the Mount suffered 3-2 and 2-0 losses at Central Connecticut last spring. The Mount held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth of game one but could not hold on down the stretch. Holly Buckel knocked a two-run home run for the Mount in game one.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT: Mount St. Mary's is 15-17 in the series with Central Connecticut, including an 8-6 mark at home. CCSU has won three in a row over the Mountaineers in the series that dates back to 1999.
HITTING STREAK: Freshman Niki Gonzalez has hit safely in 10-consecutive games entering the weekend. The 10-game hitting streak is the longest for a Mount player this season. The last player with a 10-game hitting streak was Liz Christiansen in 2012.
POWER HITTING: Freshman infielder Morgan Alisauckas leads the Mountaineers with six home runs this season, tying her for ninth in single-season history. The school record is 11 home runs in a season set by Liz Christiansen in 2010. Alisauckas is currently tied for second in school history for home runs by a freshman and is two off Amanda Blizzard's freshman record of eight set in 1999.
NEC PRESEASON POLL: Mount St. Mary's was selected to finish eighth in the annual Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Central Connecticut was picked first in the poll with four first-place votes, followed closely by Bryant, which also picked up four top votes. LIU Brooklyn and Robert Morris finished 3-4 in the poll with the Blackbirds of LIU picking up the final first-place vote. FDU, Saint Francis U and Wagner followed, with the Mount finishing ahead of Sacred Heart in this year's poll.
UP NEXT: The Mount is scheduled to host Morgan State for a doubleheader at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on Thursday, April 16. Games are slated for 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
--Mount St. Mary's University Athletics--
