Newark, Del. (March 16, 2022)--Mount St. Mary's dropped a pair of close contests at Delaware on Wednesday afternoon.  The Mount lost the opening game of the doubleheader, 4-2, before losing in game two, 3-1.  A big inning by Delaware proved to be the difference in each game.

In the opening game of the twinbill, Delaware (15-7) scored four times in the bottom of the first inning and held on for a 4-2 victory.  The Blue Hens took advantage of a pair of walks to take the early lead.  After a pair of walks, Brittney Mendoza doubled home both runners for a 2-0 advantage.  A Mount error put runners on the corners, and after a stolen base put two runners in scoring position, Morgan Olynyk doubled to push the advantage to 4-0.

The Mount had a runner reach base on a base hit in each of the next three innings, but did not break through on the scoreboard until the top of the fifth inning.  In the fifth, Vanessa Martin singled and Julia Vincent walked to put runners on first and second with no outs.  Abigayle Perry then doubled to left center field to bring home both runners, but she was thrown out at third for the first out of the inning.  Delaware starter Emily Winburn retired the final two batters in the inning on a pair of groundouts.

Relief pitcher Olivia Murphy was able to escape a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth, and the Mount had a chance to cut into the deficit in the top of the sixth.  Elizabeth King and Maggie Kane each singled with two outs, but Martin grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.  Winburn set the Mount (6-12) down in order in the seventh to secure the win.

Kane led the Mount offense in the opening game, going 2-for-3 at the plate, as seven different Mountaineers had a hit in the contest.  Mount starter Amanda Berkley settled in nicely after the first inning, allowing four runs (three earned) in five innings of work.  Murphy tossed two innings of scoreless relief.  Mendoza went 3-for-3 at the plate while WInburn picked up a complete-game win for the Blue Hens.

Mount St. Mary's took an early lead in game two, but Delaware scored three times in the bottom of the fourth to earn a 3-1 victory. 

The Mount jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.  Bridgette Gilliano singled off Delaware starter Morgan Stauffer with one out to start the rally.  Gilliano then stole second base, her team-leading 14th steal of the season.  Kaia Bonshock then doubled to left center field to bring home Gilliano with the first run of the game.

Vanessa Martin extended her hit streak to seven games with a single in the second, but was stranded at second base.   The Mount led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before Delaware broke Avery Neuhart's shutout bid with three runs.  Kailey Christian doubled to open the inning, and Olnyk followed with a single.  Emily Blum's two-run double gave Delaware a 2-1 lead.  Blum then scored on a groundout for what ended up being the final run of the game.

The Mount put a pair of runners on base in the top of the fifth when Brianna Manni singled and Zoe Truxon walked.  Delaware's Graceyn Frost was able to retire the next three batters to end the threat.  Frost then held the Mount to just a two-out single by Truxon in the seventh to earn the win.

Neuhart allowed three runs in four innings of work for the Mount while King pitched two innings of scoreless relief.  The Mount finished with five hits.

Mount St. Mary's opens Northeast Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Merrimack.