Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  
February 17, 2024—Mount St. Mary's softball opened the 2024 season with a pair of games at the Winthrop Eagle Classic on Saturday.  The Mount fell in the opener, 14-3, to USC Upstate in five innings before dropping a heart-breaker to Winthrop, 3-2, when the Eagles scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to rally for the win.

Winthrop scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally for a 3-2 victory over the Mount at the Winthrop Eagle Classic.  Maddie Coleman struck out six in a complete-game effort for the Mountaineers.

The Mount scored both runs in the top of the third inning, loading the bases with no outs to start the rally.  Elizabeth King drew a walk, and Avery Dinges followed with a bunt single with King moving to third on the play.  After Dinges stole second, Gina Del Giorno posted a bunt single to load the bases.  That brought on a pitching change with Winthrop bringing Megan Powell into the circle.  Powell promptly issued a four-pitch walk to Perry to force home the first run of the game. Zoe Truxon followed with a single to center to bring home Dinges for a 2-0 advantage.

Winthrop threatened in the bottom of the fourth with two runners on and two out, but Taylor Williams ended the inning by throwing out Peyton Rivas at the plate to keep the Mount ahead, 2-0.
Ansley Lee drove the second pitch of the bottom of the sixth to put Winthrop on the scoreboard, slicing the Mount's lead to 2-1. 

Winthrop completed the comeback with two runs in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-2 victory.  Rivas posted a one-out single through the right side of the infield to put the tying runner on base.  Ashton Vanhouse followed with a triple to right field to tie the score, and Powell singled home Vanhouse for the winning run.

Coleman allowed three earned runs while striking out six in 6.1 innings of work. Five different Mountaineers each recorded one hit in the ballgame.

USC Upstate 14, Mount St. Mary's 3 (5 Innings)

The Mount opened the 2024 season with a 14-3 loss to USC Upstate on Saturday morning.  USC Upstate broke open a close game with 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tori Bowles went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI while Zoe Truxon was 2-for-2 with an RBI for the Mount in the game. .

UP NEXT:  The Mount will play Monmouth at 10:00 a.m. and Appalachian State at 12:30 p.m. to round out the tournament.