Emmitsburg, Md. (April 20, 2024)--Brianna Manni belted a walk-off two-run homer to lift Mount St. Mary's to a 4-3 win in the second game of today's Senior Day doubleheader against Saint Peter's at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on campus. Manni's walk-off gave the Mount a split in the twinbill as Saint Peter's captured the opening game, 7-1.
Saint Peter's (14-26, 4-10 MAAC) scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning to take the early lead in game two. The Mountaineers answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score.
Avery Dinges reached on an error and moved to second on a passed ball. After an
Elizabeth King sacrifice moved Dinges to third,
Hannah Gartrell lofted a sacrfice fly to left field to tie the game.
The Mount (10-24, 3-10 MAAC) took the lead in the bottom of the fifth when
Tori Bowles smashed a solo home run for a 2-1 advantage. Bowles leads the Mount with five home runs this season. The Peacocks struck back for two runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. Kaitlynn Peters singled and Taylor Montgomery doubled to left to put runners on second and third with one out.
Olivia Murphy struck out the next batter, but then committed a throwing error allowing both runners to score as Saint Peter's regained the lead.
Dinges doubled and
Zoe Truxon singled in the bottom of the sixth to put the go-ahead runner on second with two outs, but Saint Peter's pitcher Morgan Lipanski retired
Abigayle Perry on a hard grounder to short to end the threat. After Murphy set down Saint Peter's in order in the top of the seventh, the Mount rallied for the win.
Julia Vincent started the inning with a bunt single. After Bowles flew out to left, Manni came to the plate. The junior drove a 1-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for a two-run longball for the walk-off blast.
Bowles led the Mount offense in game two, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Murphy had a strong start for the Mountaineers, allowing no earned runs while striking out seven in the complete-game victory. Murphy has not allowed an earned run over her last four appearances (19.2 innings), and she is now 5-6 on the year with a 4.20 ERA.
Saint Peter's struck for three runs in the top of the first and never looked back in a 7-1 victory in the opening game. The Mount's run came in the fourth when Manni tripled and then scored on a King sacrifice fly. Freshman pitcher
Sophia Schmehl allowed three earned runs in six innings of relief, striking out seven in the contest.
Prior to today's doubleheader, the Mount honored its seven seniors with a pre-game ceremony. The list of seniors includes Perry,
Amaya Bowman, Vincent, Gartrell, Bowles,
Kassidy Johnson and
Zoe Truxon.
The teams complete the three-game series tomorrow at noon.
