Syracuse, N.Y. - Sophomore all-conference pitcher Jenna Vanacore (Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity) tossed 10 scoreless innings to lead the 16th-ranked Le Moyne College softball team to a pair of victories in the Northeast-10 Conference tournament on Saturday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins opened the day with a 4-0 win over Merrimack and posted a 12-3 win over New Haven in the final game of the afternoon to advance to Sunday's final.

Le Moyne scored the only run it would need against Merrimack in the first inning on just one hit. Freshman right fielder Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) reached first to lead off the inning after being hit by a pitch. After Cashel moved to second on a wild pitch and Merrimack recorded a strikeout, junior all-conference second baseman Kelly Schweikert (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) doubled off the fence in left field to drive in Cashel.

The Dolphins added a single run in the fourth inning and a pair in the sixth frame to deliver the final margin of victory. All-Rookie Team shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third on a single by senior all-conference selection Caitlin O'Neill (Pittsford, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy). Sophomore catcher Kim Baker (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley) followed with a groundout to second base to push Shea across the plate.

In the sixth, the Dolphins loaded the bases as Shea singled, O'Neill reached on a fielder's choice and Baker singled. Following a groundout to retire Shea at home, Cashel singled through the left side to plate O'Neill and Baker.

Vanacore, named to the Northeast-10 First Team on Friday, struck out two batters, while yielding just two hits in facing only one batter over the minimum to pick up her 18th win of the campaign.

In the afternoon's finale, the Dolphins jumped on the board with three runs in the first inning. Cashel singled through the left side and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Schweikert then drilled her team high-tying eighth home run of the season. Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Jennifer Farrelly (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) followed with a single up the middle and advanced to second two batters later on a single by Shea. O'Neill then singled up the middle to drive in her classmate.

The Chargers got one run back in their half of the first as Nicole Downs walked and came around to score on a double to left center by Meghan Walter.

Cashel blasted a one-out home run down the left field line in the second inning to extend Le Moyne's lead back to two. However, New Haven answered back in the bottom of the frame with a pair of unearned runs. Downs, who homered twice in her team's first game of the day, doubled with two outs to plate Samantha Minervini and Amy Nepi, who reached on a single and an error respectively.

The Dolphins blew the game open with five runs on six hits in the fourth inning. Cashel, who four hits and four runs scored on the day, and junior all-conference center fielder Danielle VanGorder (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) singled to open the inning. After Schweikert reached base on a fielder's choice to load the bases, Farrelly singled up the middle to plate Cashel. Following a groundout to retire VanGorder at home, Shea singled to right center to drive in Schweikert and Farrelly. After a fly out, Baker plated Phillips and Shea with a single to right center to complete the scoring in the inning.

Le Moyne, which has won 16 of its last 17 games, tacked on three runs on three hits and an error. Phillips opened the inning with a single and stole second following a New Haven pitching change. After Shea reached on a throwing error, O'Neill drilled a home run down the right field line to give the Dolphins a 12-3 advantage.

Vanacore earned the win in relief by tossing the final three innings without allowing a hit and striking out three batters. Farrelly struck out two batters over the first three innings, yielding three runs (one earned) on four hits. Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Breanne Gleason suffered the loss after allowing 10 runs on 16 hits over five innings.

Le Moyne (39-10), which is appearing in its fourth conference championship game in the last six years, will face the winner of Sunday's 10:00 a.m. match-up between Southern Connecticut State and New Haven at 12:00 p.m. for the NE-10 title and the conference's automatic berth into next weekend's NCAA Regional.