Emmitsburg, Md. (April 12, 2016)—The Mount St. Mary's softball team posted a pair of wins over visiting Howard on Tuesday at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on campus.  The Mount took the opener, 6-0, before rallying for an 11-7 victory in game two.  In the opening game, Rachel Heinze hit her 16^th home run of the season, matching the Northeast Conference's single-season record.  The Mount has won four in a row to improve to 10-24 on the season.

Game 1:  Mount St. Mary's 6, Howard 0

Samantha Lichtner and Katie Olson combined for a shutout while Rachel Heinze hit her 16^th home run of the season in the Mount's 6-0 win in the opening game of the doubleheader.

Heinze started the scoring in the bottom of the first when she belted a two-run homer to right field to give the Mount a 2-0 advantage.  Rachel Gavigan added an RBI single later in the inning to push the advantage to 3-0.

Lichtner, with the help of three double plays, kept the Bison (5-25) off the scoreboard as the score remained 3-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth.  The Mount added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the when.

Marian Ruf singled and Jessica Greenewald walked to open the inning.  The runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Marisa Mayes singled to center to plate pinch runner Emilee Kirk to make the score 4-0.  Holly Buckel's RBI single pushed the lead to five, and Shea McFarland walked with the bases loaded to round out the scoring.

Lichtner stuck out a pair while scattering six hits in six innings to earn the win to improve to 4-8 on the year.  Olson tossed a scoreless inning to close out the win.  Mayes went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored as seven different Mount players posted hits in the opening game.

Game 2:  Mount St. Mary's 11, Howard 7

The Mount rallied from a 6-0 deficit to post an 11-7 win in the second game of the twinbill.  Ruf provided the big hit, a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the third inning.

Howard scored four runs in the first and added two more in the second to grab a 6-0 lead.  The Mount began the comeback with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Ruf doubled to the gap in left center field to plate Gavigan, who singled, to start the scoring.  Greenewald added an RBI double in the inning to cut the deficit to 6-2.

In the third, Buckel singled and stole second to start the rally.  Gavigan was hit by a pitch and McFarland walked to load the bases. Ruf followed with a grand slam to left to tie the game at 6-6.

Howard regained the lead in the top of the fourth, but the Mount responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead.  Rachel Heinze opened the frame with a hard hit single to center field, and Lindsay Heinze followed with a base hit to short.  A wild pitch moved the runners up, and Buckel tied the game when she placed down a perfect squeeze bunt for a single.  The Mount then put on a double steal, and Lindsay Heinze scampered home with the go-ahead run when Howard chased Buckel back to first base.  Buckel then stole second, and later moved to third on a wild pitch.  She came home to score on a McFarland RBI grounder.  Kirk's RBI single later in the inning gave the Mount a 10-7 lead.

Buckel rounded out the scoring with a line drive home run to left, her sixth home run of the season.

Ruf picked up the win in game two for the Mount, allowing seven runs (three earned) with three strikeouts in four innings.  Olson chipped in two innings of scoreless relief while Lichtner pitched a scoreless seventh.

Ruf was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBI to pace the Mount offense in game two while Buckel went 3-for-4 with three runs scored.  Greenewald and Kirk each added two hits in the win.

The Mount returns to action on Saturday, with a 1:00 p.m. NEC doubleheader at Central Connecticut St.