Mount softball team narrowly falls twice in home opener doubleheader to Thomas More College

The Lions' softball team opened home play this evening with a doubleheader against local rival, Thomas More College. The Lions drop to 1-8 on the season after falling by two runs in each game, 3-1 in game one, and 2-0 in game two. The Mount begins HCAC play this Thursday, March 22 with a doubleheader at Transylvania University.

The Lions played strong defense against the visiting Saints, but could not get their offense going, managing five hits combined in both games.

The Mount kept Thomas More off the scoreboard for the first two innings of game one before the Saints recorded an unearned run on a double hit to left center. Thomas More would tack on two more runs(both earned) in the top of the sixth inning on a single with one out after loading the bases. The Lions fell shy of mounting a comeback in the seventh inning as freshman catcher, Lindsay Griffith (Alexandria, KY/Bishop Brossart) reached first base on a dropped pop-up to third base. The Lions put in Ashley Tidwell (Goshen, OH/Goshen) to pinch run for Griffith eventually scoring on a single by Katie Gregg (Walton, KY/Grant County). With two outs and Gregg on first base, the Mount's hopes of continuing the game rested on the shoulders of freshman Erica D'Arcy (Fairfield, OH/Fairfield). A passed ball moved Gregg to second, but the Saints' third baseman redeemed herself by throwing D'Arcy out at first for the final out of the game. Gregg led the Mount for the game with two hits in three at-bats. Junior Kim McElhinny (Crestwood, KY/Oldham County) took the loss for the Lions, pitching a complete game on eight hits, three runs, two earned, four walks, and four strikeouts. The loss drops McElhinny to 0-3 on the season.

The Mount's D'Arcy took the mound for game two squaring off in a pitcher's duel against Thomas More's Ronni Burns. D'Arcy held the Saints scoreless for five innings before surrendering two runs (one earned) in the top of the sixth inning. D'Arcy, now 1-3 on the season, pitched a complete game for the Mount on seven hits, two runs, one earned, zero walks, and one strikeout. Freshman Ashley Moore (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest) saved the Lions from being no-hit by recording the team's lone hit in the bottom of the fifth inning.