Emmitsburg, Md. (March 11, 2022)--Abigayle Perry led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk-off home run to lead Mount St. Mary's to a 3-2 victory over Cornell in the opening game of the Mount St. Mary's Softball Tournament at Our Lady of the Meadows Field. The Mountaineers fell to Morgan State, 7-0, in their second game on the day.
The Mount (6-10) used the long ball to score all three runs in the one-run win over the Big Red. After Cornell took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a bases loaded wild pitch, the Mount evened the score in the bottom of the third.
Bridgette Gilliano belted a solo home run over the left-field fence to even the score. Cornell (1-6) took advantage of a Mount error to take the lead on an Emily McKinney sacrifice fly to regain the lead, 2-1, in the top of the fifth inning.
The Mountaineers tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning when
Kassidy Johnson connected for her first home run of the season, a drive to left that tied the game at 2-2. Mount starter
Amanda Berkley set the Big Red down in order in the top of the seventh, setting the table for Perry's heroics. Perry blasted a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for the walk-off home run. The sophomore leads the Mount with three home runs this season.
Gilliano finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a solo home run and a stolen base. Johnson also went 2-for-3 in the game with a double and her game-tying home run in the sixth inning. Berkley struck out six while allowing just one earned run in her complete-game effort.
In the Mount's second game, Morgan State (6-7) scored four times in the top of the first inning to take control en route to a 7-0 win. Morgan State's Victoria Fletcher allowed just one hit in a complete-game shutout effort.
The Bears struck for four runs on six hits in the top of the first inning off Mount starter
Olivia Murphy. Aliya Ewell's triple to right field scored sister Mia Ewell to open the scoring. The Bears added runs on a sacrifice fly, a Mount error and a Madison Nunez RBI single for the early 4-0 advantage. In the bottom of the first, Perry walked to lead off the inning, but she was retired at second base on a fielder's choice. Gilliano then stole second and third base, but was stranded at third when Fletcher got a strikeout and a pop out to end the inning.
The Mount had a pair of runners on base in the second when
Zoe Wilcox walked and
Vanessa Martin singled through the left side with two outs, but Fletcher was able to escape the jam when
Julia Vincent must missed beating out a bunt. Nunez had an RBI single for Morgan State in the third, Aliya Ewell connected for a solo homer in the sixth and Tayven Rousseau a solo homer in the seventh to round out the scoring.
Murphy took the loss for the Mount, allowing five runs (four earned) in three innings.
Avery Neuhart pitched three innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits, while
Elizabeth King allowed one run in one inning of work. Martin reached base twice for the Mount in the game.
The tournament continues on Sunday with three games at Morgan State. The Mount will face the host school at 11 am and Cornell at 1 pm while Morgan State and Cornell will play at 3 pm.
