Hackensack, N.J. (April 27, 2021)—Avery Neuhart's four-hit shutout propelled Mount St. Mary's softball to a split of its Northeast Conference doubleheader at Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday afternoon.  After dropping the opening game, 6-2, Neuhart's tossed a gem in the Mount's 2-0 victory in game two. 

The split allows the Mount to maintain fourth place in the NEC standings with the top four finishers earning a spot in the postseason.  The Mount is now 17-24 overall and 10-13 in league play, leading Sacred Heart (8-14) by 1.5 games and Fairleigh Dickinson (8-16) by 2.5 games for the coveted last playoff position.

Mount St. Mary's struggled to find offense against FDU starter Alayna Savaglio, who pitched complete games in both ends of the doubleheader.  Savaglio struck out a combined 25 batters in the two contests while not allowing an earned run on the day.

After five scoreless innings in game two, the Mount took advantage of a couple of FDU miscues to plate two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead.  Kaylee Stoner led off the inning with a single to right field.  Savaglio got the next two outs before Stoner stole second base to move into scoring position.  Tori Bowles then lofted a fly ball to right field that FDU misplayed, allowing Stoner to score the initial run of the contest.  Vanessa Martin pinch ran for Bowles, and she stole second base to move into scoring position.  Elizabeth King then reached on an error by FDU's shortstop with Martin scoring on the play for a 2-0 advantage.

That was all the offense Neuhart would need as she closed out the win.  In the sixth, the Knight's had a one-out walk, but Neuhart got FDU's top hitter Madison Emerson to ground into a double play.  Neuhart then set the Knights down in order in the seventh to seal the win.

Neuhart struck out two, walked one while allowing just four hits in the complete-game shutout.  King had the Mount's other hit in the game.  Savaglio struck out 14 in a two-hit complete-game loss for FDU.
In the opening game, Fairleigh Dickinson earned a 6-2 win behind a strong pitching performance from Savaglio and a tie-breaking two-run homer from Courtney Mahoney.
Fairleigh Dickinson broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Emerson doubled and Cassidy Triska was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out.  A wild pitch moved the runners up before Berkley got the second out of the inning on a grounder back to her.  Savannah Thornell was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Hailey Ramburg's single up the middle plated two runs for a 2-0 advantage.

The Mountaineers answered back with two runs in the top of the fifth to tie the score.  Maggie Kane reached on an error and Lexi Donovan walked to put runners on first and second with no outs.  After a pop out, both runners moved up on a Stoner fly out to center field.   A passed ball allowed Kane to score, and when the throw back to the pitcher covering the plate got away, Donovan was able to score as well to tie the score.

FDU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth when Jillian Ward singled and Mahoney homered to give the Knights a 4-2 lead.  FDU added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by Riley Phillips and Summer Mendoza.

Savaglio earned her second win of the season over the Mount, allowing a pair of unearned runs in the complete-game two-hitter.  Savaglio struck out 10 Mountaineers in the game after posting a season-high 15 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over the Mount earlier this season.  Berkley took the loss, allowing six runs and eight hits in six innings.  Abigayle Perry and Tori Bowles recorded the Mount hits in the game.

BOWLES NAMED NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:  Earlier today Tori Bowles was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week.  Bowles went 6-for-14 (.429) with two home runs and six RBI to help lead the Mount to three wins over Sacred Heart this past weekend.  Bowles lifted the Mount with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for a 3-2 win in the opening game of the four-game series.  Her two-run homer snapped an 8-8 tie to propel the Mount to a 10-9 win in the final game of the series.  She had three two-hit games against SHU in the series.  Bowles is the third Mountaineer to win two NEC Rookie of the Week awards in the same season, joining Amanda Burk (2006) and Amanda Berkley (2018).