Syracuse, N.Y. – First baseman Kristin Whitley went 5-for-7 with five runs scored and three runs batted in to lead Southern Connecticut State to a sweep of the Le Moyne College softball team in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Owls took the opener, 10-4, and won the nightcap, 10-3.

The Owls started the scoring in the first inning of the opener with three runs on three hits. Right fielder Brittany Bucko singled to center with one out and came around to score on a triple to right by Whitley. After third baseman Alyssa Downs was hit by a pitch and stole second, catcher Stacy Pouliot doubled to right center to knock in Whitley and Downs.

Le Moyne got two runs back on four hits and a Southern Connecticut error in the bottom of the first. Junior second baseman Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) led off with a single to the shortstop, but was retired at second base as junior shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) reached on a fielder's choice. After junior catcher Morgan Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) singled to center, Shea was thrown out at third as sophomore center fielder Demetra Kermidas (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) reached on a fielder's choice by the shortstop. Freshman pitcher Sarah Harrison (Cobleskill, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) then singled to left field to drive in Edmondson. Senior left fielder Amanda Daum (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) followed with a single to center to knock in Kermidas.

The Dolphins evened the score at three apiece in the bottom of the third as Kermidas blasted a solo home run over the fence in center field with one out.

Southern Connecticut regained the lead with three runs on three hits and a Le Moyne error in the fifth. Shortstop Jillian Thibault opened the frame with a single to the third baseman and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bucko. Following a walk and a strikeout, Pouliot singled to center to drive in Thibault. Designated player Jessica Rosa followed with a single to right field to knock in Whitley, while Pouliot scored on a fielding error by the right fielder.

The Owls tacked on four runs on four hits and a Le Moyne error in the top of the seventh. They loaded the bases to open the inning as Whitley reached on an error, Downs singled to the left side and Pouliot was hit by a pitch. Rosa then doubled to center field to drive in all three base-runners. Following a single, strikeout and a hit batsman, Thibault singled down the left field line to drive in Rosa with SCSU's final run.

Shea delivered the game's final score in the bottom of the inning by smacking her second home run of the year over the fence in left center with one out.

Harrison suffered the loss, her sixth of the year, but first in 12 appearances (8-0 in that span), after allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits over seven innings, while striking out eight. Edmondson, Kermidas and freshman Liz Weber (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) accounted for half of Le Moyne's 12 hits with two hits apiece. Brittany Hill earned the win for the Owls after yielding four runs (three earned) on 12 hits over seven innings.

In the nightcap, Whitley got the Owls on the board in the first inning with a solo homer to right field.

The Dolphins knotted the score at one in the second off two hits. Weber led off with a single to right field. Following a pop out, Cashel singled to center field, but got caught in a rundown between first and second, allowing Weber to score.

Southern Connecticut took the lead for good in the fourth with a run on just one hit. Pouliot walked and stole second around a foul out. Second baseman Robin Priest then singled to right field to drive in Pouliot.

The Owls blew the game open with seven runs on six hits and two Le Moyne errors in the fifth inning. Thibault singled up the middle to open the frame and moved to third as Bucko reached on a throwing error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt. After Bucko stole second, Whitley singled to the second baseman to drive in Thibault and moved to second on a throwing error by the second baseman. Downs then blasted a three-run homer to center field to make the score 6-1. Following a single to right by Pouliot, Rosa smacked a two-run homer to center field to force a Le Moyne pitching change. Priest greeted Harrison with a double to left field to complete the streak of seven straight hits. After moving to third on a sac bunt by center fielder Alyssa Pagano, Priest scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by left fielder Shawna Mallory.

The Dolphins responded with an unearned run on one hit in the bottom of the fifth to keep the game going. Freshman right fielder Hannah Gatley (New Port Richey, Fla./J.W. Mitchell) walked to open the frame and moved to second on a groundout. Two batters later, Cashel singled to the shortstop, with Gatley scoring as the shortstop's late throw to get Cashel got past the first baseman.

Southern Connecticut scored its final run of the day on one hit and a Le Moyne error in the top of the seventh. Pouliot was hit by a pitch to open the inning. After moving to second with one out on a passed ball, she was replaced by pinch-runner Julie Muscarella. After a fly out, pinch-hitter Allison Lehner reached on a bunt single, with Muscarella scoring on the pitcher's errant throw to first base.

The Dolphins finished off the afternoon's scoring with a run on three hits and a Southern Connecticut error in the bottom of the seventh. After Weber singled to the second baseman with one out, junior pinch-hitter Kristin Brown (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) singled to the shortstop, advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop and took third as Weber was thrown out at home after the second baseman collected the ball down the right field line. Cashel then singled up the middle to drive in Brown.

Weber took the loss after giving up eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits over four-plus innings of work, while striking out a pair of batters. Cashel finished the game with three hits, while Weber added a pair. Jayme Larson earned her 11th win for the Owls after striking out five over seven innings pitched, while allowing three runs (one earned) on eight hits.

Le Moyne (13-15, NE-10 11-5), which had its seven-game win streak snapped, returns to action on Friday at Merrimack at 3:00 p.m