New Haven, Conn. – Sophomore pitcher Sarah Harrison (Cobleskill, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) struck out eight batters, had two hits and scored the game-winning run to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to the Northeast-10 Conference championship game with a 5-1 win over New Haven on Saturday afternoon at Southern Connecticut State's Pelz Field.
The Dolphins opened the game's scoring with four runs on four hits and two New Haven errors. Freshman second baseman Kristie Capuano (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) singled to right center with one out and moved to third on a double down the left field line by Harrison. As senior left fielder Kristin Brown (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) reached on a fielder's choice by the third baseman, Capuano and Harrison scored on a throwing error by the third baseman. Senior first baseman Leah Ford (Pulaski, N.Y./Pulaski) followed with a double to center to drive in Brown. After a New Haven pitching change, senior third baseman Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) singled to right center to plate Ford.
Le Moyne, which has won six straight games and 14 of its last 15, tacked on a run on one hit and a New Haven error in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out in the inning, Ford reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. After Ford stole second with two outs, she scored on a double to center by senior shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa).
New Haven got its only run of the game on a lead-off home run to center field by left fielder Shannon Angehr in the sixth inning.
Harrison allowed just four hits in going the distance for the 34th time this year to earn her 27th victory. With the eight strikeouts, Harrison extended her single-season program record to 299. At the plate, Harrison had two of Le Moyne's eight hits, while six other Dolphins had one hit apiece. Alana Wesche took the loss for the Chargers after giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits in one and one-third innings pitched.
Le Moyne (29-24), which advances to the NE-10 championship game for the seventh time in the last 12 years, will play Assumption on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. The Dolphins only need to defeat the Greyhounds once to claim their fourth conference championship, while the Greyhounds need to beat the Dolphins at 11:00 and then in the if necessary game that would follow 30 minutes later. The winner of the conference championship earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Softball Championship, which will have its field announced on Monday at 10:00 a.m. on ncaa.com.
