Box Score North Andover, Mass. (March 21, 2022)—Mount St. Mary's fell at Merrimack, 5-4, on Monday afternoon in the final game of a three-game Northeast Conference series.  The Mount's Abigayle Perry went 2-for-2 with her team-leading fourth home run in the game.  The Mount falls to 7-14 overall and 1-2 in NEC play with the loss.

The Mount scored twice in the top of the first inning to take the early advantage.  Perry started things off with a double and Bridgette Gilliano followed with a bunt single.  Gilliano stole second base, her team-leading 17^th steal of the year.  The 17 steals move Gilliano into a tie with Sarah Ramsburg (2004) for the fourth most in a single season in school history.  Kaia Bonshock walked to load the bases for Kassidy Johnson, who reached on an error by the shortstop with Perry scoring the first run of the game.  A passed ball allowed Gilliano to score to make it 2-0, and Maggie Kane was hit by a pitch to load the bases again.  Merrimack starting pitcher Madie Fornwalt was able to escape the inning without further damage, getting a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to keep the score at 2-0.

The Warriors (6-6, 2-1 NEC) responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second to build a 5-2 advantage.  Fornwalt delivered a two-out, two-run single to tie the score in the bottom of the first.  In the second, Merrimack had a three-run rally with two outs to take the lead.  Sarah Reisler's RBI single broke the 2-2 tie, Emily Hubbard followed with an RBI base hit, and Jenna Wike rounded out the scoring in the frame with an RBI double.

The Mount got two runs back in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 5-4.  Vanessa Martin singled with two outs, and Perry followed with a two-run homer to make it a one-run game.
The Mount threatened in the top of the sixth when Elizabeth King singled with one out and Perry walked with two outs to put runners on first and second.  Merrimack pitcher Katelyn Thompson was able to the final out of the inning on a groundout to keep it a 5-4 game.

In the top of the seventh, Kane drew a two-out walk, but Thompson was able to get pinch hitter Tori Bowles on a grounder to second for the final out of the game.

Perry went 2-for-2 for the Mount with a double, a home run and two RBI.  She reached base in all four plate appearances in the game.  Amanda Berkley started for the Mount, allowing five runs (three earned) in three innings of work.  Olivia Murphy tossed three innings of scoreless relief for the Mountaineers.

Mount St. Mary's is back in action on Wednesday, March 23, with a 3:00 p.m. home game with Towson.