MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Albertus Magnus College softball team split a pair of non-conference games on Thursday to Mansfield University and the University of Maine at Presque Isle as part of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.

The Mountaineers took game one from the Falcons by a final score of 3-0 before the blue-and-white bounced back to top the Owls in the nightcap, 14-9. The 14 runs scored in game two was the second time this season Albertus tallied 10 or more runs. 

THE BASICS
FINAL (G1): Mansfield 3 | Albertus Magnus 0
FINAL (G2): Albertus Magnus 14 | Me.-Presque Isle 9
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (4-4) | Mansfield (7-2) | Me.-Presque Isle (0-7)
LOCATION: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Game 1

• Mansfield kicked things off scoring two unearned runs in the top of the third to take the early 2-0 lead over the Falcons.
• Mansfield's Kayla Vonstein led off the inning with an infield single behind a nice bunt attempt before advancing to second when Madison Bailey grounded out to third, earning the sacrifice bunt. Fallon Kelley kept things going by capitalizing on a Falcon error, which allowed Vonstein to score. Kelley managed to  score off the next at-bat when Anastasia Beradi singled to right field.
• Albertus' Breanna Saldivar (Middletown, Conn.) led off the bottom half of the inning with a double to left center, igniting the Falcons' bench and a rally, but three straight outs stranded Saldivar on third. 
• Solid pitching from Danielle Goff and defensive work from the Mountaineeers kept the Falcons from putting runners on base over the next three innings.
• The Mountaineers tacked on an additional run in the seventh inning when Vonstein singled to center field for her first RBI of the game and increased the run advantage to three, 3-0.
• The Falcons' final at bat saw back-to-back singles from Erin Molkenthin (East Haddam, Conn.) and Isabelle Smith (Meriden, Conn.) with two outs, but the duo were left stranded on the corners as the final out of the game was collected on a dropped third strike. 

IN THE CIRCLE
WP: Danielle Goff (W, 4-1) - 7.0 IP | 5 H | 1 BB | 7 SO
LP: Annabelle Jabs (East Hartland, Conn.) (L, 1-1) - 7.0 IP | 8 H | 3 R | 1 ER | 4 SO

AT THE PLATE

• Molkenthin recorded a team-high two hits.
• The Mountaineers held the advantage in hits, 8-5. 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Game 2

• Albertus jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first behind an RBI single from Anna Leone (Shelton, Conn.) and a two-run RBI single from Sophia Audi (Naugatuck, Conn.), with just one out on the scoreboard. 
• Despite collecting its second out of the inning, Albertus kept swinging the bat and put runners on second and third for Smith, who ended the offensive momentum with a fly out to left field.
• Erin Dighello (Wallingford, Conn.) continued her strong performance in the circle forcing a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, before her teammates went to work at the plate scoring five runs on five hits to take a commanding 8-0 lead.
• Two of the Falcons' five runs in the second inning were scored on a RBI single from Peyton Davis (North Haven, Conn.). 
• An inning later, Albertus recorded another impressive showing at the plate as the Falcons loaded the bases quickly before three straight RBI singles from Leone, Angelina Ramada (North Branford, Conn.), and Molkenthin drove in three runs, while a walk by Davis allowed Leone to cross home for the run of the inning, making the score 12-0. 
• The Owls finally broke through in the top of fourth scoring a pair of runs on an RBI single and a passed ball.
• Albertus countered the Owls' two runs with a solo run in the bottom half of the inning, bringing the score to 13-2. With two outs and a runner in scoring position, Ramada registered her fourth RBI of the game on a single to right field.
• Me.-Presque Isle made things interesting as the Owls rallied for seven runs over the next two innings to trim the deficit to four, 13-9, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
• Albertus tacked on an additional run in the home half of the inning thanks to an RBI single up the middle from Colleen Edwards (Clinton, Con.).
• The Owls tried to spark a last-minute rally in the top of the seventh, but were unsuccessful against a solid defensive front from the Falcons.

IN THE CIRCLE
WP: Erin Dighello (W, 2-0) - 5.0 IP | 5 H | 9R | 4 ER | 4 BB | 6 SO |1 HR
LP: Megan Buchholz (L, 0-1) - 1.0 IP | 3 H | 3 R | 3 ER | 1 BB

AT THE PLATE 

• Ten different Falcons registered a hit in today's win.
• Ramada finished with a team-leading four hits and four RBIs.
• Leone recorded three hits, three RBIs, and four runs scored.
• Davis also finished with three RBIs.
• Molkenthin tallied two RBIs off three hits. 

UP NEXT

The softball team closes out its spring break trip to the Palmetto State on Friday, March 17th with a pair of non-conference games against Ithaca and Worcester State. Game times are set for 3PM (Field 1) and 5PM (Field 2).