Emmitsburg, Md. (March 9, 2025)--Mount St. Mary's dropped a pair of games on Sunday afternoon to close out it's home tournament at Our Lady of the Meadows Field.  The Mount fell in the opening game, 14-3, to Le Moyne, before being edged by Morgan State, 4-3, in the nightcap.

Le Moyne 14, Mount St. Mary's 3

Lia Festa and Tristin Koerner each homered, but it was not enough as the Mount lost to Le Moyne, 14-3, in the opening game of the tournament today.  Festa now leads the Mountaineers with a pair of long balls this season.

The Dolphins took advantage of a few Mount miscues to score three unearned runs in the top of the first inning off Mount starter Ellie Meier.  After Le Moyne added a run in the fourth, Festa put the Mount on the scoreboard with a solo home run over the left field fence to cut the deficit to 4-1.  Le Moyne (7-13) added three more runs in the top of the sixth to take a commanding 7-1 advantage.  The Mount got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the frame when Koerner drove a two-run homer over the fence in right center field to make it 7-3.  The Dolphins, however, scored seven times in the top of the seventh to break the game open.

Le Moyne had 15 hits in the game en route to a perfect 5-0 weekend at the tournament.  Taylor Williams paced the Mountaineers with a pair of hits. Meier pitched six innings, allowing five earned runs in the game.

Morgan State 4, Mount St. Mary's 3

The Mountaineers were edged by Morgan State in the nightcap, 4-3, despite a career-high nine strikeouts from starting pitcher Sophia Schmehl.  The Mount offense had six difference players record a double in the game.

Schmehl and Morgan State pitcher Victoria Fletcher were in a duel with the game scoreless after five innings.  The Bears (3-14) broke through against Schmehl in the top of the sixth inning.  Amber Rivas reached on an error to start the rally with Rylee Hyde singling to right field with both runners moving into scoring position on the throw to third.  Fletcher then helped herself with a two-run single to break the scoreless tie.  Alison Keener's squeeze bunt gave the Bears a three-run lead.

The Mount (5-11) fought back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.  Laurenne Gallagher and Tyra Christian had back-to-back doubles to make it a 3-1 ballgame.  Pinch hitter Olivia Murphy's bloop single to right field cut the deficit to one.  Morgan State added a key insurance run in the top of the seventh for a 4-2 lead.

The Mountaineers rallied in the bottom of the seventh, with Kelsie Bandelow leading off with a double to center.  Williams then grounded out to the pitcher, who had Bandelow caught between the bases.  Bandelow, however, beat the throw back to second to put runners on first and second with no outs.  After a flyout to left, Koerner grounded out to second with Bandelow scoring all the way from second base to make it 4-3.  Gallagher then reached on an error, and Christian walked to load the bases.  Fletcher was able to end the game with a strikeout.

Gallagher and Bandelow each had two hits in the game for the Mountaineers.  Schmehl pitched a complete game, allowing three earned runs and six hits.  Her nine strikeouts set a new career high, beating her old mark of seven set against Saint Peter's on April 20, 2024.

The Mount is back in action next week, hosting UAlbany and Army West Point for the Mount Softball Invitational.  The Mount will play UAlbany at 11 am and Army West Point at 1 pm on Saturday, March 15.