(Riverdale, NY) – Freshman pitcher
Jessica Riddle (Billerica, MA/Billerica HS) was a one-woman winning machine on Tuesday, scoring two runs and pitching seven terrific innings as the Mount Saint Vincent Softball team snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over visiting Baruch. The win came during the second game of a doubleheader as Baruch opened play with a 6-5 win. After the doubleheader split, Mount Saint Vincent is now 2-12 for the 2006 season, however, their excellent play at the bat and on the field on Tuesday could be a sign of things to come.
Riddle was sensational during the nightcap, allowing only two earned runs while striking out four and not walking a batter. She allowed seven hits, only two of which were for extra bases, and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to secure the win. However, it still took a late-game rally for the Mount to earn the win as the Dolphins scored all six of their runs during the final three innings. The fifth inning proved to be huge for the Mount as freshman Jillian Troncoso (W. Haverstraw, NY/W. Haverstraw HS) doubled home both Riddle and Jessica Piccoli (Yonkers, NY/Saunders HS) to put the Mount ahead for good, 4-2. After the Bearcats scored in the top of the sixth inning, the Dolphins scored twice during the bottom of the inning thanks to two Baruch errors in a row, and took the final 6-3 lead.
Troncoso finished the game 2 for 4 and also scored a run, while six other Dolphins recorded hits.
The opener was a heartbreaker as senior pitcher Krista Roberts (Wilmington, MA/Wilmington HS) entered the game in relief during the second inning, and allowed only two earned runs during the final six innings of play, but the effort was not enough despite a spirited Mount Saint Vincent comeback. The Mount fell behind 3-0 after one inning and 4-1 after three innings, but battled back to take a 5-4 lead after five innings thanks to a three-run fifth inning thanks to RBI singles by Piccoli, Troncoso, and freshman Dana McGuire (East Setauket, NY/Ward Melville HS). However, the Bearcats scored twice during the top of the sixth inning to secure the win.
Roberts was brilliant, allowing three total runs on six hits while she struck out four. McGuire finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and the crucial RBI, while Piccoli was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's.
Mount Saint Vincent returns to action on Thursday, March 30 when they host Medgar Evers at 4:00 p.m. The game will mark the opening of Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) play for the Mount.
