MORAGA, Calif. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team picked up its first win out in California as the team split a doubleheader at Saint Mary's College on Tuesday.
 
The Knights (5-12) earned a 1-0 victory in the nightcap after falling by a close 3-2 margin in the first game.
 
Junior Erica Johnson tossed a complete game shutout to earn her first win of the season, giving up only two hits and striking out two batters. She retired each of the last seven batters she faced and 14 out of 16 batters after the Knights took their lead in the third inning. She sruck out two batters on her way to finishing her second shutout of her career and ninth complete game.
 
Sophomore Rylie Schmeh provided the Knights their winning run in the third for her team-leading seventh RBI of the season. Freshman Riley De Laval started off the inning with a single through the left side, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Summer Mendoza and then to third on a groundout. With two outs, Schmeh came through with a single to right to plate De Laval and provide FDU the advantage.
 
De Laval went 2-for-3 to lead the Knights on offense in the win. Mendoza, junior Madison Emerson and senior Holly Mercier also had hits in the win. Mercier was the only Knight to collect hits in both games.
 
Freshman Courtney Mahoney led the Knights at the plate in the loss, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore Abby England and senior Serena Meehan also had hits for FDU in the game.
 
Both teams in the opening game were held scoreless through three innings. The Knights threatened to get on the board first with singles by Meehan and Mercier putting runners on second and third, but they were unable to push a run across.
 
The Gaels struck first with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Knights did not take long to strike back, as England roped an RBI single that scored Schmeh to tie the game up at 1-1.
 
An inning later, the Knights loaded the bases and benefited from a passed ball that allowed Mahoney to score and make it 2-1 in favor of the Burgundy and Blue.
 
St. Mary's, however, tied the game up in the bottom half of the frame and then scored the winning run with one out on a sacrifice fly. The Gaels then set the Knights down in order in the top of the seventh to hold on for the win.
 
England pitched a complete game in the loss, allowing five hits and only one earned run.
 
The Knights play another doubleheader on Wednesday, traveling to Berkeley to face University of California starting at 2 p.m., PST (5 p.m., EST).