Rock Hill, S.C. (March 4, 2025)—Mount St. Mary's softball split a pair of games on Tuesday afternoon.   The Mount opened the day with a 5-4 victory over Youngstown State in nine innings before falling to host Winthrop 6-2, in game two.  The Mount is now 5-7 on the season.

MOUNT ST. MARY'S 5, YOUNGSTOWN STATE 4 (9 inn.)
Mount St. Mary's rallied to earn a 5-4 win over the Penguins in nine innings in the opening game of the day.  The Mount improves to 5-6 on the season with the victory.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the top of the sixth, the Mount scored twice to even the score.  Kelsie Bandelow walked and Gina Del Giorno was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on base with one out.  A passed ball moved the pair into scoring position, and a wild pitch allowed Bandelow to score.  Laurenne Gallagher then tied the game with an RBI single.

With the international tiebreaker in place in the top of the eighth, the Mount manufactured a run to take the lead.  Taylor Williams sacrificed Bandelow to third, and Avery Dinges brought her home with an RBI groundout to short.  The Penguins countered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame to make it 3-3, forcing another extra inning.

With Gallagher placed on second to begin the top of the ninth, Tristin Koerner sacrificed her to third with a bunt.  Brown followed with a base hit through the right side for a 4-3 lead.  Brianna Manni then rapped a single down the left field line, and pinch hitter Olivia Murphy came through with a double to left center field for a 5-3 lead.

Youngstown State cut the Mount lead to one with an RBI fielder's choice, but Mount pitcher Ellie Meier retired the final batter to secure the win.

Del Giorno went 2-for-3 at the plate while Brown was 2-for-4 in the victory.  Bandelow scored twice for the Mountaineers.  Meier improved to 3-0 on the year, allowing two unearned runs in 4.2 innings of relief.  Starting pitcher Amaya Bowman allowed a pair of runs in 4.1 innings of work.

WINTHROP 6, MOUNT ST. MARY'S 2

Mount fell in the second game, 6-2, to host Winthrop.  Dinges had a pair of hits to pace the Mount in the game.

The Eagles (13-7) took control of game two with a four-run second inning off Mount starting pitcher Murphy.  The Mount got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Dinges singled, moved to third on a sacrifice, and scored on a Tyra Christian double to left center field.

Winthrop added to the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.  The Mount loaded the bases in the top of the sixth on hits from Del Giorno, Dinges and Sophia Schmehl.  Courtney Chew was hit by a pitch to force home Del Giorno, but Winthrop got a fly out to end the inning.

Dinges went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Mount while Murphy took the loss, allowing four runs in three innings.  Schmehl pitched three innings of relief, allowing two runs.

UP NEXT:  Mount St. Mary's hosts a tournament next weekend with LeMoyne and Morgan State.  The Mount will face LeMoyne for a doubleheader on Friday at 1 pm.