Emmitsburg, Md. (April 16, 2023)--Tori Bowles cracked a tie-breaking solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift Mount St. Mary's to a 5-4 win and a split of its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on Sunday afternoon.  Saint Peter's rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to secure a 9-3 win in the opening game of the twinbill.  With the win in game two, the Mount improves to 20-15 overall and 5-3 in the MAAC this season.

SAINT PETER'S 9, MOUNT ST. MARY'S 3

Saint Peter's scored four times in both the fourth and fifth innings to rally from an early two-run deficit for a 9-3 victory in the opening game of the doubleheader.  Maggie Kane paced the Mount with three hits in the game while Bowles had a two-run single that gave the Mount a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

The Mountaineers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off Saint Peter's starter Sydney Senerchia.  Kane singled with one out, and an error by the shortstop on a Mariah Godde grounder put runners on first and second.  After a wild pitch moved the runners up, Bowles singled through the left side of the infield to plate both runs.

Mount St. Mary's starting pitcher Avery Neuhart was in command early, retiring the first 10 batters in the game, including a three-pitch inning in the top of the second inning.  The Peacocks broke through against Neuhart in the top of the fourth inning.  After Neuhart struck out leadoff hitter Jess Forte, the Peacocks strung together six consecutive hits to plate four runs to take the lead.  Tai Turner's two-run double tied the score and Anya Kane followed with a two-run double to give Saint Peter's a 4-2 lead.

Saint Peter's added to the lead with four runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Back-to-back singles by Courtney Fraher and Cara McNulty forced the Mount to go to Amaya Bowman in the bullpen.  Back-to-back walks forced in the first run in the fifth, and Kane cleared the bases with a three-run double for an 8-2 lead.  Forte tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth to put the lead to 9-2.

The Mount closed out the scoring when Abigayle Perry was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Kane RBI single.  Kane finished the first game 3-for-4 at the plate.  Neuhart took the loss, allowing six earned runs in 4.1 innings of work while Bowman allowed a pair of runs in 1.2 innings of relief.

MOUNT ST. MARY'S 5, SAINT PETER'S 4

Tori Bowles broke a 4-4 tie with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Mount to a 5-4 win in game two.  The Peacocks had rallied from a 4-0 deficit to even the score.

The Mount scored a single run in each of the first four innings to build the 4-0 advantage.  In the bottom of the first, Kane walked with one out and Godde followed by lining a single to the gap in right center field.  Godde was nearly thrown out at second on the play, but retreated back to first and was safe when there was nobody covering the base.  Kane never stopped running on the play and scampered home with the game's first run.

In the second, Brianna Manni doubled and came home to score on a Saint Peter's error by the shortstop.  In the third, Perry singled and Kane followed with a sacrifice bunt.  Perry was aggressive on the base paths, heading to third on the throw to first to retire Kane.  The throw back to third was wild, and Perry came home for the 3-0 lead.  Hannah Gartrell belted a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth for a 4-0 lead.  It is Gartrell's first collegiate home run.

The Peacocks connected for three unearned runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Mount's lead to 4-3.  Anya Kane walked, and a Mount error on a wild throw trying to get a force at second on a Kaitlyn Peter's grounder put runners on second and third with no outs.  After a popout, Kourtney Ketchum's bunt single right in front of the plate scored the first run for Saint Peter's.  After a flyout, Fraher followed with an RBI single up the middle and McNulty a single on a tough hop at second cut the Mount's advantage to one run.  Kane belted a solo home run in the top of the sixth to tie the game.

Bowles led off the bottom of the sixth with her solo home run to break the tie.  Saint Peter's had a leadoff double in the seventh, but Olivia Murphy was able to retire the final three batters to seal the win.  Murphy struck out seven while allowing just one earned run in the complete-game effort for her team-leading seventh victory in the circle.

The Mount returns to action tomorrow with a noon doubleheader against MAAC foe Manhattan in a make-up game from yesterday's rainout.