SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Le Moyne College softball team swept Saint Michael's in a Northeast 10 Conference doubleheader on Thursday at the Niland Athletic Complex. With the victory, the Dolphins improve to 25-12 and 18-3 in the conference. Saint Michael's drops to 20-12, 11-10 on the season.
In game one, Le Moyne jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Jennifer Farrelly (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) single down the left field line that plated Lindsay Spaziani (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads). Saint Michael's rallied for four runs in the top of the fourth inning; keyed by Casey Brooks two run double. The Purple Knights struck for three more in the top of the sixth inning on a home run by Ashley Harkins to push the lead to 7-1. Le Moyne rallied in their half of the sixth for four runs. Sarah Reed's (DeWitt, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) single keyed a two out rally that plated three Dolphins and closed the gap to 7-5. In the bottom of the seventh, Farrelly led off the inning with a walk and was followed by Emma Murphy (East Syracuse, N.Y. /East Syracuse-Minoa) who blasted a pitch over the left field fence to tie the game at 7-7. The home run was the 20th of her career and tied Jennifer Winters '06 for the program's career record. Caitlin O'Neill (Pittsford, N.Y. /Our Lady of Mercy) followed with a single to center. She was relieved by pinch runner Daniel VanGorder (Vestal, NY / Vestal). Bailey Phillips (Rochester, N.Y. /Greece-Arcadia) would drive her in for the game winning run on a single to left field.
Sarah Reed took the ball for the Dolphins in game two. The Purple Knights jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Ashley Harkins' second home run of the day. Le Moyne scored three of their own in the bottom of the second. Kelly Schweikert (Rochester, N.Y. /Spencerport) singled home a run and Bailey Phillips drove in another on a sacrifice fly to center field. The Dolphins scratched for one more run in the bottom of the fourth on an O'Neill RBI single to the left side pushing the Le Moyne lead to 4-2. That was all the support Sarah Reed would need in the circle. Reed pitched a complete game to earn the victory.
The Dolphins return to action on Saturday as they look to improve on their nine game home winning streak when they host Merrimack in a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for Noon.