Buies Creek, N.C. (February 20, 2021)—The Mount St. Mary's softball team opened the 2021 season by splitting a pair of games at the Campbell Invitational today.
Amanda Berkley tossed a shutout in the Mount's 1-0 extra-inning victory over North Carolina Central in the season opener before the Mount fell to host Campbell, 5-0, tonight.
The Mountaineers were playing their first games since March 7, 2020, after last year's season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GAME 1: Mount St. Mary's 1, North Carolina Central 0 (8 inn.)
Mount St. Mary's scored the go-ahead run on
Kaylee Stoner's squeeze bunt in the top of the eight, and starting pitcher
Amanda Berkley stranded the tying runner on third in the bottom of the inning to lead the Mount to the 1-0 win in the opening game of the season.
The Mount started the season off on the right foot as leadoff hitter
Kaylee Stoner singled to lead off the game. Stoner stole second, but was stranded on the bases.
North Carolina Central had a chance to score in the fourth, putting runners on the corners with two outs, but Berkley was able to get out of the jam with a pop-up to second base.
The Mount threated in the top of the sixth when
Lexi Donovan singled to lead off the frame and stole second base.
Maggie Kane walked with two outs to put a pair of runners on, and
Kaia Bonshock nearly gave the Mount a 3-0 advantage with a three-run homer, but the ball went just foul down the right field line. NCCU's Kiara Hurley was able to strike out Bonshock to end the inning.
Freshman
Tori Bowles doubled with two outs in the seventh, but was stranded when the next batter popped out to end the frame. NCCU (0-2) got a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but Berkley got a strikeout to end the frame and force extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, the tiebreaker rule was in effect with
Mariah Godde placed on second to open the inning. Godde moved to third on Donovan's groundout to second base. Stoner then brought home the lone run of the game, executing a perfect squeeze bunt single to plate Godde with the run. The Mount loaded the bases with two outs, but Hurley was able to get a strikeout to end the inning.
Berkley got three groundouts in the bottom of the eighth to earn the win. Berkley scattered four hits while striking out three and walking none in the complete-game shutout victory. Stoner went 2-for-4 at the plate to pace the offense.
GAME 2: Campbell 5, Mount St. Mary's 0
The Mount St. Mary's offense was unable to solve Campbell pitcher Megan Richards in a 5-0 loss in the second game of the day.
Kaylee Stoner paced the Mount with a pair of hits in the game.
The Camels opened the scoring when Destini England singled to open the inning and eventually came home to score the first run of the game on a Bri Bryant RBI groundout.
Noemi Cortez hit a two-run double in the second for Campbell, and Bryant pitched in another run-producing ground out in the third pushed the lead to 4-0. Bryant's sacrifice fly in the fifth completed the scoring in the game.
Kaia Bonshock had a leadoff double in the fourth, but the Mount was unable to plate her. In the fifth,
Lexi Donovan and Stoner posted back-to-back one-out singles, but Richards was able to get out of the jam.
Avery Neuhart allowed six hits and five runs in five innings to take the loss for the Mount.
Amaya Bowman pitched a scoreless inning of relief in her Mount debut.
UP NEXT: The Mount will face No. 12 Kentucky and host Campbell tomorrow to round out the tournament.
