Softball Rallies to Salvage Split With Mount Saint Vincent in Skyline Opener

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Freshman Paige Csikortos (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point) knocked a two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to lift the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team to an 8-7 victory over the College of Mount Saint Vincent to earn a split of their Skyline Conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins, who were picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll and finished third last season, took a narrow victory in game one scoring two runs in the sixth to come from behind to edge the Bears, 3-2.

Game Info

• Final Score: Mount Saint Vincent def. St. Joseph's, 3-2 (Game 1) St. Joseph's def. Mount Saint Vincent, 8-7 (Game 2)
• Location: Patchogue, N.Y.
• Field: SJC Outdoor Field Complex
• Records: St. Joseph's (7-3, 1-1), Mount Saint Vincent (9-5, 1-1)

Game 1: Mount Saint Vincent 3, St. Joseph's 2 (5 innings)

• SJC Starters: Csikortos (CF), Rancel (RF), Wainwright (DP), Ferrigno (3B), Rossi (LF), Gentile (1B), Quintana (2B), Baglino (C), Simon (SS), Mahoney (P)
• The Bears scored first in the third when Paige Csikortos knocked a one-out triple and later came around to score on an error. The Dolphins knotted the game at 1-1 with a three-hit frame in the fourth.
• St. Joseph's took the lead again in the sixth with Maria Gentile leading off the frame with a double and Nicole Quintana followed with a triple to the gap that scored Sarah Kampuries who pinch run for Gentile to put the Bears up 3-2.
• But the Dolphins scored two in the home half of the frame to take the lead and Rachel Heizer sent the Bears down in order in the seventh to seal the comeback.

SJC Highlights

• The Bears knocked seven hits with three going for extra bases.
• Nicole Quintana (1-for-1) roped a triple, drove in a run and walked twice.
• Paige Csikortos (1-for-4) knocked a triple and scored a run.
• Maria Gentile (1-for-3) belted a double.
• Amber Wainwright (1-for-4) and Kristin Ferrigno (1-for-4) both hit singles and extended their hitting streaks to nine games.
• Victoria Mahoney (6 IP, 2 ER, 8 H) went the distance and suffered her first loss of the season, striking out two.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 8, Mount Saint Vincent 6

• SJC Starters: Csikortos (CF), Rancel (LF), Wainwright (C), Ferrigno (3B), Gentile (1B), Quintana (2B), Rossi (RF), Baglino (DP), Simon (SS), Armano (P)
• The Dolphins jumped ahead with two runs in the first before the Bears erupted for five runs in the third. Amber Wainwright, Kristin Ferrigno, Maria Gentile and Samantha Rossi all had run-scoring hits in the five-hit frame.
• The Bears tacked on another run in the sixth on a Wainwright sacrifice fly to move ahead, 6-2.
• After surrendering the runs in the first, Theresa Armano settled in the circle and retired 15 straight batters—working perfect frames in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings—but the Dolphins got the bats going in the sixth and scored five runs to knock her out of the circle and take a 7-6 lead heading to the final frame.
• In the top of the seventh, Rossi led off with a double and was followed two batters later by a Samantha Simon single who stole second to put runners and second and third for Csikortos who delivered both home with a double for the game-winner.
• Taking relief in the circle to close out the sixth, Victoria Mahoney retired the top of the lineup in order to seal the comeback and earn her fifth win of the season.

SJC Highlights

• Samantha Rossi (3-for-4) accumulated a RBI, a run, and two doubles.
• Paige Csikortos finished 2-for-2 with two RBI, two runs scored, a double, a triple, and two walks.
• Amber Wainwright batted 2-for-3 with a RBI, run and a walk, extending her hitting streak to 10 games.
• Kristin Ferrigno (1-for-4) knocked a RBI single in the third to also extend her hitting streak to 10 games, scored once, walked once and had two stolen bases.
• Maria Gentile (1-for-5) had a two-run double in the third.
• Samantha Simon scored twice and stole a base.

The Bear Facts

• After getting swept last season, the Bears win their first over the Dolphins in Skyline Conference play. The second-longest rivalry in the Bears softball history, Mount Saint Vincent holds a 17-14 edge all time.
• Mount Saint Vincent was picked to finish third in the Skyline preseason coaches poll—the same position they finished in last year's championships—and was the only other team to receive a first place vote outside of defending champion Mount Saint Mary.

Next Up for St. Joseph's

The Bears will head to face preseason favorite and defending champion Mount Saint Mary College (11-7, 6-0) on Tuesday, April 4 in a game rescheduled from last weekend. First pitch for the twin bill is at 6 p.m. at The Rock Sports Park in Chester, N.Y.