3/31/2007 - (Bronxville, NY) - Fans arriving at Sarah Lawrence College for Saturday's 2007 home opener for the Mount Saint Vincent Softball team immediately realized that the softball complex at Sarah Lawrence did not have stands for spectators to sit and watch the doubleheader with St. Joseph's (LI). Mere moments into the Skyline Conference twinbill, they realized that they would not need seats at any point during an afternoon of softball that could have been among the most exciting days in the history of the Dolphin program. During two games that kept the crowd on its feet with every pitch and swing, Mount Saint Vincent turned the Skyline Conference Softball world upside down with a dramatic 14-13 extra inning win over the Golden Eagles during the opener, and a close 5-4 loss during the nightcap that proved that the much-improved Mount team is very much in the thick of things in Skyline Conference play.

With the split, Mount Saint Vincent is now 3-2 overall, 1-1 in Skyline Conference play, and the 2007 season that brought with it hope of an improvement in the Skyline Conference, now has new meaning.

The opener was one of the most exciting games in recent memory as the nine-inning thriller had just about everything a Softball game could have. Mount Saint Vincent opened the scoring during the first inning with an unearned run, but the Golden Eagles quickly tied the score, and a back-and-forth affair ensued. A four-run rally during the sixth inning appeared to put St. Joseph's ahead for good as the Golden Eagles grabbed an 8-3 lead, but a two-RBI double by freshman Lisa O'Shea (White Plains, NY/Our Lady of Victory) and a two-RBI single by senior Katie Cusmiani (Belle Harbor, NY/Archbishop Molloy) brought the Mount back to within a run, 8-7. And an inning later, with St. Joseph's an out away from victory, O'Shea came through once again with a dramatic, two-out home run to send the game to extra innings ... and the excitement was only just beginning.

Two two-run home runs by St. Joseph's during the top of the eighth inning gave the Golden Eagles a 12-8 lead, and once again it appeared as if the game was over. However, on a day of drama, Mount Saint Vincent wasn't finished. Once again with two outs, once again with the game on the line, Mount Saint Vincent loaded the bases. And during the finest moment of her young career, freshman Karissa Koerner (Bay Shore, NY/Brentwood HS) blasted her first career grand slam, to erase the deficit and tie the score ... and the excited continued into another extra inning.

In the top of the ninth inning, St. Joseph's went into the driver's seat once again, scoring a run to take a 13-12 lead. But the Mount had one last rally remaining. In the bottom of the ninth inning, a Dana McGuire (East Setauket, NY/Ward Melville HS) double scored O'Shea to make it 13-13, and McGuire personally made sure the game would end right there. The sophomore stole third base, and while freshman Erin Santerre (Tupper Lake, NY/Tupper Lake HS) batted, McGuire stole home to end the game, send the crowd into a frenzy, and give Head Coach Mary Marra perhaps her finest victory in seven years at the Dolphin helm.

O'Shea went 4 for 6 with four RBI's and three runs scored, while Koerner went 2 for 5 with four RBI's and three runs scored. Cusmiani and McGuire also drove in two runs apiece. Mount Saint Vincent combined for 19 hits.

With the excitement of an opening game thriller behind them, both teams came back for a second game that proved to be just as exciting. St. Joseph's led 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, and once again, the Mount's backs were against the wall. Once again, the Dolphins came through to force extra innings. With one out, McGuire scored after a Santerre single, and after a single by senior Gina Angolillo (West Harrison, NY/Harrison HS), the tying runs were on base. That's when senior Jessica Piccoli (Yonkers, NY/Saunders HS) drove home both runners with a double to force extra innings.

St. Joseph's scored a run in the top of the eighth inning, but yet another Mount Saint Vincent rally was not in the cards, and the Golden Eagles escaped with a win.

Piccoli went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI's, while freshman Meagan Gonzalez (Fishers, IN/Hamilton South Eastern HS) pitched eight strong innings.

Mount Saint Vincent returns to action on Sunday, April 1 when they travel to Centenary College for a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader.