BEL AIR, MD - College of Notre Dame softball earned its program-record sixth win of the season Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader split with Colonial States Athletic Conference opponent Keystone. The Giants took game one by a 15-1 score, but that result didn't keep the Gators down as the home team took game two by a 12-7 score. Notre Dame, which is currently in its second year of competing in NCAA Division III, is now 6-21 overall on the year and finishes out its CSAC schedule with a 5-17 record. The Gators finished 2009 with a 1-27 record and a 1-25 mark in league play. The Giants move to 13-24-1 overall and finish league play with a 9-13 record.

Keystone belted 18 hits in game one as starting pitcher Meagan Cunningham tossed a complete game in the circle for the 15-1 win. Cunningham scattered eight hits, allowing one earned run while striking out three. Each Keystone starter had at least one hit and a run batted in in the first game. The Gators got two hits from junior Cherish Deaver (Bel Air, MD/Fallston) and junior Ashley Taylor (Edgewood, MD/Harford Tech.). Freshman Allyson White (Hydes, MD/Mount Carmel) also belted two hits for Notre Dame, including a double.

The Giants jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game two, however, Notre Dame responded with five runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by two-run doubles off the bats of Deaver and freshman Kirsten Smulovitz (Fallston, MD/Fallston) and an RBI double by freshman Cara Corsaro (Manchester, MD/North Carroll). Cunningham also started game two, but was taken out after giving up five runs without getting a Gator batter out.

Notre Dame extended its lead to 8-4 in the second inning after Smulovitz cleared the bases with a three-RBI double. After Keystone got one back in the top of the third, the Gators made the score 9-5 in the bottom half when senior Whitley Noel (Red Lion, PA/Red Lion Area) scored when teammate Mindy Daugherty (Hampstead, MD/North Carroll) reached base on an error.

Keystone got two runs in the top of the fifth on a RBI ground out off the bat of Samantha Hartman and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cunningham. However, Notre Dame responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by Corsaro and Taylor and a sacrifice fly from Deaver.

Deaver, who started in the circle for the Gators, was able to get out of a sixth inning jam when catcher Katie Murphy (Baltimore/Baltimore Poly) picked Lori-Ann Moreno off third base with runners on second and third with one out.  Deaver finished off the complete game effort in the seventh when Marino grounded out to third with two runners on base.

Smulovitz finished game two going 3-for-3 with five RBI for Notre Dame. Deaver went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored while allowing five earned runs and striking out two in the circle for her third win of the season. Noel was 1-for-3 at the dish with three runs scored and a stolen base. Daugherty finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three stolen bases, while Corsaro added three hits with two RBI and two runs scored. Taylor also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. The Gators two through six hitters in the game were a combined 12-for-17 with 11 RBI.

Abby Cohen led Keystone in the nightcap going 3-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. Cunningham also added a hit with two runs batted in.

Notre Dame recognized its two seniors, Noel and Brigitta Long (Manchester, MD/North Carroll) after the doubleheader.

The Gators will close out their 2010 season at the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference Invitational Tournament on Sunday. The Gators will take on Sarah Lawrence at noon and will play at 2:30 p.m. in the championship game if they win, or at 4 p.m. in the consolation game.