HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team (2-14, 2-12 NEC) split Saturday's NEC doubleheader with Mount St. Mary's (12-19, 5-8 NEC) from the FDU Softball Field with a 3-0 shutout win in game one and rallied in game two in the bottom of the seventh, but lost 9-7. 

In game one, junior Alayna Savaglio posted a career-high 15 strikeouts, recorded her third complete game of the year, her first shutout of the season, and only allowed four hits. Fellow junior Courtney Mahoney drove in the other run with an RBI single. Freshman Riley Phillips reached base all three times at the dish with a pair of singles and a walk and scored a run.

In game two, sophomore Cassidy Triska went 2-4 from the dish and belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the third, which was her second homer of the season. Emerson also went 2-4 from the plate, including an RBI double and an RBI single. Graduate student Summer Mendoza went 2-4 with two runs scored.

Coach Foye's Thoughts

"Alayna not only pitched another great game but finally got her bat going helping her self out by getting two RBIs early in the first game starting the momentum leading to our first win at home. Courtney is the definition of a great team player and leader. She played three different positions today contributing at all of them. She pitched a shut inning and made great plays in both center and left field. On the offensive side she continued to stay hot with the bat with a few extra base hits."

"Riley Phillips played big for us in the first game getting on base three times with two big hits that gave us a spark on the offensive end. She is a competitor who always gives her all and it showed today. Cassidy's home run was a huge hit in the second game that put us back in it to make it 6-4 after being down 6-0. She has a knack of coming up with big hits when we need it. Maddie had a few hits today but her biggest hit was a 2 out hit in the 7th inning of game two that gave us hope for a game winning rally but we just fell short."

"We fought hard once again after falling behind we just need to find a way to score more early and often so we aren't in the position to have to try and come from behind like we have been doing in most games."

Game 1: FDU 3, Mount 0
How it Happened

• After allowing a base runner to open the game, Savaglio retired the next seven batters she faced and got six of them via a strikeout.
• FDU got runners on first and second in the bottom of the second after Savaglip singled and Philips walked, but the Mountaineers were able to get out of the jam.
• After another scoreless inning from Savaglio in the top of the third, the Knights took a 2-0 lead after Mendoza and Emerson got to second and third base before Savaglio helped her own cause on the mound with a single to right field that scored both Mendoza and Emerson.
• FDU extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Mahoney singled to right field to score Philips from second base.
• The Knights offense loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth as Phillips stood on first, senior Rylie Schmeh on second, and junior Jillian Ward to third, but Mount got out of the jam to end the fifth.
• Savaglio retired the first two batters in the top of the sixth before allowing a single, but struck out Liz King to end the sixth and struck out the side in the top of the seventh to conclude an impressive outing on the mound.

Game 2: Mount 9, FDU 7
How it Happened

• Senior Abby England took the ball in game two and pitched a scoreless first two innings as she retired five of the first six batters to come to the dish, including a caught stealing from sophomore Hailey Ramberg to Triska.
• The Mount then scored six runs in the top of the third inning with three RBI singles, a double, a fielder's choice, and a hit by pitch.
• FDU cut the deficit to 6-4 in the bottom of the third sparked by a single from Ward, a deep fly ball from Mahoney that scored Ward, an RBI single from Emerson, and a two-run homer off the bat of Triska.
• Freshman Riley Jones pitched a scoreless fourth inning and the Knights got sophomore Lauren Luna to second in the bottom half, but were unable to score her.
• Graduate student Erica Johnson entered the game in the fifth with runners on first and second and was able to set down the side, but in the top of the sixth, the Mount added three more runs to the lead.
• Mahoney pitched a scoreless top of the seventh and then provided a key two RBI double to score Mendoza and junior Sam Cortez to get within three runs before Emerson came up next and roped an RBI double down the right field line to score freshman Megan Berg with two outs, but Triska grounded out to short to end the game.

What's Next
FDU's final two games of the series have been postponed and their next series will be against Sacred Heart beginning on Saturday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. The games will be streamed on NEC Front Row.