After suffering a narrow, 4-3, loss in Wednesday's non-conference opener against Salem in Bridgeport, W.Va., Pitt-Johnstown got a complete-game from Mahlon Yonkin and two hits and two RBI from Audrey Paterson in a, 3-2, win in the nightcap.  Julia Mooney hit two homeruns in game one for the Mountain Cats, now 3-11 on the year.
 
In game one, Mooney's two-out solo homerun in the top of the first inning gave Pitt-Johnstown the lead, but Salem answered with three runs in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from Kendall Lemley and Jazmyn Moetului, and Brooke Wise's sacrifice fly.
 
Karmen Hogan's RBI double in the Tigers' half of fourth off Mountain Cat starter Mia Smith made it 4-1, before Pitt-Johnstown struck for two runs in the top of the sixth.  Jenna Tallman singled with two outs, and Mooney belted her second homer of the day to cut it to 4-3.
 
The Mountain Cats loaded the bases in the seventh on a hit-by-pitch and singles by Krista Brunson and Smith, but Salem reliever Franchesca Alvaro was able to get the final two outs to preserve the Tigers' 4-3 win.
 
Smith, the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week, took the loss and fell to 2-5 after allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings.  Smith struck out four and walked four.
 
Mooney went 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and three RBI, while Sara Solberg doubled, and Gianna Surra, Tallman, Smith, and Brunson all collected hits for the Mountain Cats.
 
Lemley pitched the first 6.1 innings for the Tigers and picked-up the win to improve to 5-3.  Lemley gave up three runs on seven hits.  She fanned three and didn't allow a walk.
 
Lemley also added two hits and an RBI at the plate, and Bella Otriz singled and doubled for the Tigers.
 
In game two, the Mountain Cats took the lead with three unearned runs in the top of the second.  Isabella DePalma led off with a base hit and Surra reached on an error ahead of Paterson's two-run single.  The Mountain Cats then loaded the bases with two outs and Tallman drew a walk allowing Paterson to score from third.
 
Pitt-Johnstown starter Yonkin held that 3-0 lead until Salem scored two in the bottom of the sixth on a run-scoring double by Kaydee Anderson and Moetului's RBI groundout.
 
Yonkin came out and pitched a perfect seventh inning to hold the one run lead and secure her first win of the season.  Yonkin, who needed just 54 pitches in the complete-game, surrendered two runs on four hits, while striking out one and walking none.
 
Paterson was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI, and Surra singled, doubled, and drove in one for the Mountain Cats.  DePalma had two hits, including a triple and a run, and Sara Solberg banged out two hits.  Tallman also had one RBI.
 
Alvarado took the loss for the Tigers after giving up three unearned runs on eight Pitt-Johnstown hits.
 
With the split, Salem is now 8-7.
 
The Mountain Cats are scheduled to make their 2025 home debut and begin PSAC West play with doubleheaders against Slippery Rock on Friday and Gannon on Saturday at the Pitt-Johnstown Softball Field.