Syracuse, N.Y. – Senior second baseman Kelly Schweikert (Rochester, N.Y./Spencerport) had four hits, drove in five runs and scored three times to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a pair of come-from-behind victories in a sweep of Southern New Hampshire in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins registered victories of 11-8 and 9-8.
In the opening game, the Dolphins broke through for four runs on five hits and a Penmen error in the third inning. Sophomore first baseman Leah Ford (Pulaski, N.Y./Pulaski) led off with a homer to right center. After senior Danielle VanGorder (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) and sophomore third baseman Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) posted consecutive singles, Schweikert recorded a sac fly down the left field line to plate VanGorder. Senior left fielder Bailey Phillips (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Arcadia) then singled down the left field line to plate Cashel. Two batters later, sophomore shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) doubled to right center to knock in classmate Morgan Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City), who reached on a fielder's choice.
Le Moyne extended its lead to six runs by scoring twice on three hits in the fourth inning. Following a walk and a steal of second by junior center fielder Amanda Daum (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) and a single by Ford, Cashel singled to center to score Daum. Schweikert followed with a single up the middle to drive in Ford.
The Penman took the lead after scoring twice in the fifth inning and five times in the sixth frame. Kelsey Griffin doubled to right field in the fifth to drive in pinch-runner Nicole Newell and Andrea Clausi, who reached on a double. In the sixth, Clausi drove in Melissa Pessotti with a sac fly for the first run of the inning. Griffin followed with a two-run homer to center that also plated Melissa Vitagliano, who walked prior to Clausi's sac fly. After Jessica Berardi reached on a throwing error by the first baseman, Kate Stanley gave the Penmen a 7-6 lead with a two-run homer to center.
The Dolphins answered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Cashel and Schweikert opened the inning with singles up the middle. Following a strike out, Edmondson singled through the left side to plate Cashel. Shea then reached on a fielder's choice as the third baseman tried to throw out Schweikert at the plate, but Schweikert slid her hand underneath the catcher's tag attempt. Freshman Demetra Kermidas (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) followed with a single down the left field line to drive in Edmondson with the eventual game-winning run. After a SNHU pitching change and a fly out, Ford doubled to left center to plate Shea and Kermidas.
The Penmen got a solo home run from Cristy Jenkins to lead off the seventh inning, but could not cut into their deficit any further.
Sophomore Brenna Klein (Huntington Beach, Calif./Ocean View) earned her third straight win by tossing the final one and one-third innings in relief. The righty struck out a pair of batters, while allowing one run on two hits. Jen Garloff took the loss after yielding five runs on four hits in two innings.
In the nightcap, Southern New Hampshire built a 7-4 lead through the first two innings. The Penmen scored their first two runs on an error by the right fielder as Jenkins singled to right. Jenkins then scored from third on a wild pitch.
Le Moyne got two runs back in the bottom of the inning as Schweikert followed a single by Cashel with a two-run blast to left field.
The Penmen added four runs on three hits and an error in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Elena Anderson doubled to center to drive in Newell and Griffin. Jenkins then singled down the left field line to drive in Stanley, who reached base by drawing a walk. After a Le Moyne pitching change, Pessotti grounded out to plate Anderson.
The Dolphins answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to get within 7-4. Kermidas drove in Shea for the first run on a double to left. Three batters later, VanGorder singled through the left side to drive in Daum, who reached on a fielder's choice that retired Kermidas.
After the two teams traded runs to make the score 8-5, Kermidas homered to left center in the bottom of the fifth to pull Le Moyne within two runs.
Le Moyne took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on three hits and to SNHU errors. After Cashel reached on a fielder's choice and Schweikert walked, Phillips reached on an error by the third baseman to load the bases. Edmondson then singled up the middle to drive in Cashel and Schweikert, while Phillips moved to third on an error by the center fielder and Edmondson was thrown out trying to get to second base. Shea then drove in Phillips with an infield single to complete the game's scoring.
Junior Jenna Vanacore (Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity) earned her second win of the season by striking out six batters over five and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen, while allowing just one run on three hits. Griffin took the loss in relief by giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits in one inning of work.
Le Moyne (8-12, NE-10 6-4), which has won four consecutive games, returns to action on Sunday against Saint Anselm at 12:00 p.m.
