Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Smithfield, R.I. (March 27, 2021)—Mount St. Mary's rode the hot bat of freshman
Bridgette Gilliano to sweep today's Northeast Conference doubleheader at Bryant. Gilliano went 5-for-8 with two triples, a home run and eight RBI in the two games to pace the Mountaineers in the twinbill. The Mount improves to 9-15 overall and 2-4 in the NEC with the sweep, taking the opening game, 9-4, and the nightcap, 6-4.
Gilliano belted a go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the sixth to spark the Mount to a 6-4 victory in the second game of today's doubleheader. She finished the contest 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple, home run and three RBI.
Trailing 2-0 heading into the top of the sixth,
Abigayle Perry walked and
Kaia Bonshock singled to put runners on the corners with no outs.
Kirsten Mumma pinch ran for Bonshock, and the Mount got on the scoreboard with a perfectly executed double steal.
Tori Bowles walked to put runners on first and second, and Gilliano cleared the bases with a long drive over the left field fence for a 4-2 Mount advantage.
The Mount added to the lead with two runs in the seventh.
Mariah Godde and
Kaylee Stoner led off with back-to-back singles. After a Perry sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch allowed Godde to scoot home to put the Mount on top, 5-2. Bonshock followed with a sacrifice fly to push the advantage to four.
Bryant's Courtney Paolantonio belted a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 6-4. But Mount starter
Avery Neuhart struck the final batter out looking to earn the complete-game victory.
The Mountaineers pounded out 12 hits en route to a 9-4 win in the opening game of the twinbill.
Vanessa Martin,
Maggie Kane, Gilliano and Stoner all produced multi-hit efforts in the victory while Gilliano drove in a career-high five runs.
After Bryant (1-5, 0-2 NEC) took an early two-run lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, the Mount offense erupted for a five-run third to grab the lead.
Dakota Bilodeau opened the scoring in the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the second off of Mount starter
Amanda Berkley. Alex Hudson added a sacrifice fly for an unearned run to make it 2-0.
The Mountaineers responded in the top of the third with a five-run outburst. Stoner singled to start things off, and moved to second on a Perry sacrifice bunt. Walks to Bonshock and Bowles loaded the bases for Martin, who singled to left to put the Mount on the scoreboard. Gilliano followed by lacing a triple to right field to clear the bases and put the Mount on top, 4-2. Kane's squeeze bunt single plated Gillano to put the Mountaineers on top, 5-2.
The Mount added to the lead with two more runs in the fourth. Perry drew a one-out walk and Bonshock reached on an error by the left field to put runners on first and second. Bowles ripped a single up the middle to score Perry to push the lead to six. Martin singled to load the bases for Gilliano, scored another run with a fielder's choice groundout.
Gilliano's RBI single in the sixth gave the Mount an 8-2 lead, scoring Martin who had doubled to reach base. Bryant answered with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Mount's lead to 8-4. Bonshock pushed the lead to 9-4 in the top of the seventh when she reached on an error with the bases loaded.
Berkley picked up the victory in the circle, allowing four runs (one earned) in 5.2 innings of work. Neuhart closed out the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Gillano was 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple and five RBI to pace the offense while Martin went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and two runs scored. Kane went 2-for-3 with a double and Stoner 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot for the Mountaineers. Morgan Powell led Bryant with three hits in the loss.
The teams will conclude the four-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 10:00 am.
