EMMITSBURG, Md. – Senior Reanna Cervantes and sophomore Abby England each smacked home runs as the Fairleigh Dickinson softball team fell in a Northeast Conference doubleheader to Mount St. Mary's, 5-2 in game one and 1-0 in eight innings in game two.
 
Cervantes and England each hit their long balls in the seventh inning of the first game. The two players went back-to-back to ignite a late rally for the Knights, with Cervantes drilling her first home run of the season over the right field fence and England following four pitches later with her second long ball of the season. The Knights, however, were kept off the scoreboard further by recording outs in their next two at-bats to end the game.
 
The homer for Cervantes was part of a 2-for-3 game and represented the 16th home run of her career, moving her into a tie for second-most in program history. England's home run was the fifth of her career, and she also finished the day with two hits.
 
In the second game, senior Baylee Ports pitched a four-hit shutout through seven innings and struck out eight batters, allowing only the first batter of the game she faced to reach second base. The Knights, however, were held to just three hits themselves and were kept off the scoreboard after seven innings to force extras.
 
Ports struck out the first batter she faced in the eighth inning, but the Mountaineers (16-19, 3-3 NEC) earned a walk and then stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Kaylee Stoner then knocked a single into center that scored the runner from second to win the game.
 
FDU presented themselves a scoring chance in the fifth inning, with England and senior Serena Meehan knocking back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second with one out. The next batter, however, lined a ball to the shortstop who flipped to second for a double play to end the threat.
 
The Knights also put a runner on second in the sixth inning when sophomore Rylie Schmeh reached base and stole second with two outs, but the Mount induced a ground ball out to again escape the inning without a run scored.
 
In the first game, the Mount scored two runs in the first inning on a home run, added another run in the third inning and then two more in the sixth to build a 5-0 lead. Freshman Courtney Mahoney and Cervantes each singled in the first inning for the Knights, but they were then held hitless until Cervantes' home run in the seventh.
 
Junior Erica Johnson pitched the first 2.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout. England then came on in relief, recording five straight outs, including three strikeouts. Junior Irene Herrera tossed the final two innings, allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks with one strikeout.
 
FDU returns home for its next NEC doubleheader, facing LIU Brooklyn starting at 2 p.m., at FDU Softball Field.