Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore pitcher Sarah Harrison (Cobleskill, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) registered 23 strikeouts to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a sweep of Merrimack in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins downed the Warriors, 9-3, in the opener and rallied for a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
The Warriors got on the first in the opener with two runs on two hits in the first inning. Shortstop Tawny Palmieri led off the game by blasting a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left field. After center fielder Monique Gosselin walked with one out, designated player Jaclyn Giovannini doubled to left field to drive in Gosselin.
Le Moyne got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning on one hit and two Merrimack errors. Senior shortstop Barb Shea (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) reached on a throwing error by the shortstop with one out and moved to second as senior catcher Morgan Edmondson (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder. Two batters later, Harrison singled to left field to plate Shea.
The Dolphins took the lead with six runs on five hits and two Merrimack errors in the second inning. Freshman second baseman Kristie Capuano (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) led off by reaching on an error by the first baseman and advanced to second on a bunt single by senior left fielder Kristin Brown (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley). Following an out, senior third baseman Kelcie Cashel (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) doubled to left center to knock in Capuano. Shea then reached on a dropped fly ball by the right fielder to drive in Brown, while Cashel also scored on the error. Edmondson followed with a single to right to plate Shea from second. Junior designated player Fran Kiernan (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) then launched her first career home run over the wall in center field for a 7-2 lead.
Le Moyne extended its lead with two runs on two hits in the fifth inning. After Brown singled with one out, senior first baseman Leah Ford (Pulaski, N.Y./Pulaski) smashed her 17th career homer to right center.
The Warriors completed the scoring in the game with a run on two hits in the sixth inning. Catcher Lindsay Gibbs reached on an infield single to open the frame. Following a pair of strikeouts, right fielder Nicole LoPilato doubled down the left field line to knock in Gibbs.
Harrison improved to 12-12 on the year by striking out 14 batters over the final six and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen, while allowing just an unearned run. Edmondson had three hits in the game, while Cashel, Harrison and Brown had two hits apiece. Kelli Jo Deardorff suffered the loss after giving up seven runs (two earned) on five hits over one and one-third innings.
In the nightcap, the Warriors struck first again with two runs on two hits in the third inning. Palmieri reached on a bunt single with one out and came in to score on a homer to center by second baseman Ashley Perry.
The scored three times on three hits and a Merrimack error in the sixth inning to take the lead. Edmondson singled through the right side to open the frame, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third as Harrison reached on an error by the second baseman. Junior right fielder Demetra Kermidas (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) then singled through the right side to drive in Edmondson. Following a walk by Capuano to load the bases and a Merrimack pitching change, Brown singled to left field to drive in pinch-runner Erin Batson (Poland, N.Y./Poland) and Kermidas with the tying and game-winnings runs.
Harrison earned her fourth straight victory after striking out nine, while yielding just the two runs on four hits. Alie Thomas took the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits over five and one-third innings.
Le Moyne (14-20, 8-6 NE-10), which has won four straight games and eight of its last nine contests, visits Bentley on Friday at 3:00 p.m.
