Box Score EMMITSBURG, Md. – Albany's seven-run second inning spoiled a 4-for-4 effort from Harlie Bickett, as the Leopards dropped an 8-6 final on Saturday afternoon in their second game of the Mount St. Mary's Tournament.
 
Bickett's day included two doubles and a pair of runs scored for the sophomore who has started every game in 2023.
 
The Leopards got on the scoreboard early. Bickett led off the contest with her first double. No. 2 hitter Kylee Sweet came through with the RBI when the rookie singled down the left field line to score Bickett.
                                                                     
Lafayette held the 1-0 lead into the second inning. Albany loaded bases for Sierra Fretz who clubbed Morrigan Gardiner's 1-2 offering over the fence in left field for the 4-1 lead. The Great Danes re-loaded the bases late in the second inning. Gardiner struck out Morgan Petty for the second out, but Maddie Petrel delivered a two-run single and the Great Danes led 7-1.
 
The Leopards answered with three runs in the third inning. Sweet plated freshman classmate Grace Hausamann with an RBI-groundout. With runners at the corners and one out, Paige Sandidge delivered a perfect squeeze bunt to score Bickett. Sandidge later scooted home on a wild pitch, as the Leopards trailed 7-4.
 
In the fourth, the Leopards faced a new pitcher in Amelia Freit. She promptly walked the first two batters, including Jasmine Nguyen who later scored on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 7-5. The Leopards had an opportunity to cut even deeper, but had a runner thrown out at home on Bickett's double to center field.  
 
The teams traded runs in the fifth, with the Leopards scoring on freshman Megan Coyle's bunt that scored Sandidge.
 
The Leopards ended another Albany threat in the bottom of the sixth when senior Kaili Rietano corralled a sinking liner and doubled off a runner at second.
 
In the top of the seventh, Bickett delivered her fourth hit of the game, a lead-off single. A sac moved her into scoring position, and a walk to Sandidge brought the winning run to the plate with one out. Senior Grace Harvey hit a ball to center field that looked like it would drop, but the Albany fielder made a diving grab for the second out. Reitano came to the plate and struck out swinging on a 3-2 count to end the game.
 
Gardiner took the loss, allowing eight runs (seven of which were unearned) over 4.1 innings with four strikeouts. Junior Jacqueline Cal threw the final 1.2 innings, giving up just two hits.  
 
Lafayette will close out the tournament with two games on Sunday, facing Albany at 11 a.m. and Mount St. Mary's at 3 p.m. (pushed back an hour from the original starting times).