San Diego, Calif. (March 7, 2020)—The Mount St. Mary's softball team closed out its trip to San Diego with an 8-4 loss to Villanova and a hard-fought 7-6 loss to CSUN today. 

GAME 1:  Villanova 8, Mount St. Mary's 4

The Mount and Villanova met for the third consecutive game at the USD Softball Tournament with the Wildcats earning an 8-4 win over the Mount today.  The teams split the first two meetings with the Mount posting a 1-0 win in eight innings on Thursday and Villanova capturing a 2-1 win yesterday.

Kaia Bonshock paced the Mount offense by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI while Kaylee Stoner added a pair of hits in the game.  Mount starting pitcher Avery Neuhart allowed six runs (five earned) in four innings of work while Elizabeth King allowed two runs in two innings of relief.

The Mount started the game quickly with a run in the top of the first inning.  Stoner singled and Vanessa Martin reached on an error to put runners on first and second with no outs.  Bonshock followed with a base hit to plate Stoner with the first run of the game.  The Wildcats evened the score in the bottom of the inning on a Chloe Smith RBI triple.

Villanova scored four times in the bottom of the second to pull ahead.  With no one on and two outs, Becky Ducar walked and Angela Giampolo tripled to plate Ducar with the go-ahead run.  After a walk to Paige Rauch, Smith singled to score Giampolo for a two-run lead.  Megan Kern's two-run single stretched the advantage to 5-1.

The Mountaineers bounced back with a pair of runs in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half.  Stoner singled and Martin walked to put runners on first and second with no outs.  Bonshock then laced a double to left center field to plate both runners to make it 5-3.

A Caroline Jones RBI single in the bottom of the fourth pushed the Villanova lead to 6-3.  Bonshock and Maggie Kane opened the top of the fifth with back-to-back doubles to cut the deficit to a pair of runs.  The Wildcats answered that run with a Sarah Hangsleben RBI single in the bottom of the inning.  Jones completed the scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

GAME 2:  CSUN 7, Mount St. Mary's 6

CSUN rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to post a 7-6 win over the Mount this afternoon.  Maggie Kane went 3-for-3 for the Mount in the game.

The Mountaineers jumped on top with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.  Vanessa Martin singled and stole second base before Kaia Bonshock reached on an error to put runners on the corners.  Kane was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and after Martin was retired at home on a fielder's choice, Mariah Godde came through with a two-run single to put the Mountaineers on top.

The Matadors struck back with a four-run second inning to take the lead.  Jessica Alexander hit a two-run double to even the score and Megan Stevens followed with a two-run homer to give CSUN the lead.

Mount St. Mary's got a run back in the top of the third when Martin was hit by a pitch, stole second base, and then scored on a Kane base hit.  A two-run fifth put the Mount on top, 5-4.  Kaylee Stoner walked and stole second base before Kane came through with a clutch two-out single to center to tie the game.  Kane moved to second on an error on the play.  Elizabeth King then reached on an error by the CSUN shortstop that allowed Kane to come home with the go-ahead run.

In the sixth, Kate Wade and Lexi Donovan put together back-to-back one-out singles to put a pair of runners on base.  Stoner walked to load the bases, and a Martin groundout to the pitcher brought home Wade to give the Mount a 6-4 advantage. 

CSUN scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to rally for the victory.  Aaliyah Swan walked and stole second base to start the inning.  Kira Cauley followed with an RBI double, and Alexander belted a two-run homer to give the Matadors the lead, 7-6.

The Mount opened the seventh inning with a Kane base hit, but after a strikeout, Kane was thrown out attempting to steal and Godde lined out to end the game.

Kane went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Mount in the game.  Alexander went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI for the Matadors in the win.

Jordan Weaver allowed five runs in five-plus innings of work while Amanda Berkley took the loss, allowing two runs in one inning of relief.

The Mountaineers return home to hosts the Mount St. Mary's Softball Tournament on March 13-15 at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on campus.  The Mount opens play against St. Bonaventure at 3:00 p.m. on Friday.