Springfield, Mass. – Freshman pitcher Sarah Harrison (Cobleskill, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) tossed nine scoreless innings to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader sweep of American International on Sunday afternoon at Groff Field. The Dolphins took the opener, 2-1, and posted a 4-0 victory in the nightcap.
After four scoreless innings to start game one, the Dolphins took the lead in the fifth inning with a run on one hit. Junior first baseman Leah Ford (Pulaski, N.Y./Pulaski) drew a two-out walk after falling behind in the count 0-2. Junior second baseman Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) followed with a double to left center to drive in Ford.
The Yellow Jackets evened the game at one apiece in the sixth on three hits. Becky Dion singled to left field to open the frame and Sarah Calgreen followed by drawing a walk to force a Le Moyne pitching change. After a fly out and a single by Ashleigh St. Peter to load the bases, Michele Niejadlik singled to center to drive in Dion. Harrison got out of the bases-loaded jam by getting Katie Merrill to ground into a double play.
Le Moyne scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh on two hits. Senior left fielder Amanda Daum (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) doubled to left center to lead off the inning, but pinch-runner Sarah Vevante (Bethpage, N.Y./Family Foundation) was thrown out at home on a pinch-hit single to right by freshman Liz Weber (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore). After a strikeout, Cashel and junior shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Junior catcher Morgan Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) then walked on five pitches to force in Weber with the winning run.
Harrison earned her fourth win of the season after recording the final six outs of the game. Kristen Dolan took the loss for the Yellow Jackets after giving up two runs on six hits over six and two-thirds innings pitched.
In the nightcap, the Dolphins struck for the only runs they would need on four hits in the first inning. Shea singled through the left side with one out and moved to second on a single to center by Edmondson. Sophomore center fielder Demetra Kermidas (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) then doubled to left center to plate Shea and Edmondson.
The Dolphins added a run on two hits in the top of the sixth. Weber doubled to center with one out to force an AIC pitching change. After Daum was hit by the second pitch she saw from Elizabeth Habib, freshman Hannah Gatley (New Port Richey, Fla./J.W. Mitchell) singled up the middle to knock in Weber.
Le Moyne tacked on an insurance run on two hits in the seventh inning. Shea led off with a double down the left field line. After a pair of outs and a walk to Harrison, Weber singled down the right field line to score Shea.
Harrison improved to 5-5 on the year by striking out six batters in the complete-game performance, while allowing just two hits. Edmondson had three hits in the game for the Dolphins, while Shea and Weber each had a pair. Erin Gilkes suffered the loss after yielding three runs on nine hits over five and one-third innings pitched.
Le Moyne (5-11, NE-10 3-1), which improved to 5-0 on the year when holding opponents to one or zero runs, returns to action on Monday against Assumption at 3:00 p.m. on the campus of American International.
