Cresson, PA - The Mount Aloysius Softball team split a doubleheader in a pair of low scoring games with Juniata College. They were able to come back and win game 1 in their final at bat by a score of 3-2, and lost a late lead in the night cap, falling 5-3.

With the non-conference coming on the Mounties' AMCC bye week, Mount Aloysius looked to use multiple pitchers in each game. Game 1 saw Karlie Clark (Yukon, PA/Yough) start in the circle. She pitched the first two innings, working around 2 walks in the first to keep the Eagles scoreless. She was replaced in the third by Stevi Confer (Bellefonte, PA/Bellefonte) who put up two scoreless innings of her own, allowing two walks in the 3rd and a single in the 4th.

The Mounties were able to get ahead in the bottom of the 4th. Kara Pisczek (Johnstown, PA/Conemaugh Valley) led the inning off with a deep triple to center, and scored a batter later when Lydia DeFazio (Harrison City, PA/Penn Trafford) singled to left field. Nina Shatzer (Saint Thomas, PA/James Buchanan) entered the game to pitch the 5th. The Eagles quickly copied the Mounties' plan from the inning prior, scoring a run on a triple to center, followed by a single to drive in the run. Shatzer struck out the final two batters of the inning, and put up another 0 in the 6th.

Clark re-entered the game to pitch the 7th inning, but was not as sharp after her 4 inning lay-off. She allowed a run to score on a double and two singles, but was able to get out of a bases loaded jam to keep the deficit at one. The Mounties quickly responded in the bottom of the 7th, scoring both the tying and winning runs before recording an out in the inning. Samantha Smith (Trafford, PA/Penn Trafford) led off the inning with a single to right, and Brianna Benscoter (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) followed suit, beating out an infield single to shortstop. Pisczek walked to load the bases, and DeFazio came through with a single to center field to score Smith and Benscoter to win the game. 

Clark picked up her 6th win of the season due to the comeback, moving her record to 6-2 on the year. DeFazio finished the game 2-for-4, driving in all three Mountie runs. Emily Cochran (Natrona Heights, PA/Highlands) also recorded a two hit game, singling in the 2nd and 6th innings. 

The Mounties fell behind early in game 2, as Cochran allowed a run in the first without allowing a hit. She was able to respond to the unearned run, shutting down the Eagles in the second. She was replaced by Taylor Cashner (Danville, PA/Danville) in the 3rd, who threw two shutout innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out 2 batters. The Mounties were able to tie the game at 1 in the third. Courtney Link (Ebensburg, PA/Bishop Carroll) and Smith walked to start the inning and Kate Little (Asheville, PA/Penn Cambria) dropped a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Benscoter was able to bring in Link with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, however the Mounties were unable to add any more.

Pisczek entered the game at pitcher in the 5th, and started off well as she retired the first 6 batters she faced in the 5th and 6th innings. In the bottom of the 6th, DeFazio rewarded the Mounties for their strong pitching performances as she drove a pitch deep into the win, clearing the center field fence for a two run blast. It was her 8th home run of the year. Pisczek was unable to hold down Juniata in the 7th however, as they scored 4 runs, 2 of them earned to win the game. 

Pisczek was saddled with the loss, her first of the season. Little and Kayla Hopkins recorded multi-hit games, each finishing the contest with 2 hits. DeFazio finished the entire double header 3-7 with the home run and drove in 5 of the Mounties 6 runs scored. 

The Mounties overall record is now 21-6. They will return to AMCC action with an important clash with top of the standings Penn State Behrend on Saturday.