Syracuse, N.Y. – Senior center fielder Demetra Kermidas (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) went 3-for-5 and blasted a game-winning home run in the first game as the Le Moyne College softball team swept Pace University in a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins won the opener, a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division match-up, 4-3, while posting a 9-1 victory in six innings in non-conference action in the nightcap.

In the first inning of game one, the Setters took advantage of an illegal pitch to plate two runs on two hits. Catcher/first baseman Hana Wright drew a walk to open the game after being returned to the plate after flying out to right field on an illegal pitch. Following a single behind first base by third baseman Rachael McMahon and a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Jeane Drury, first baseman/catcher Natalie Gellos lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Wright. Center fielder Samantha Garcia then singled through the left side to knock in McMahon.

Pace extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning on one hit and a Le Moyne error. Garcia led off with a single to center, took second on a sac bunt and moved to third as left fielder Kimberly Duffy reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. As Duffy stole second base, Garcia stole home.

The Dolphins started their comeback with one run on three hits in the fourth inning. Freshman first baseman Cara Cawley (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) singled through the right side with one out, but was then called out after being hit by freshman shortstop Kirsten Trotta's (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. Dupont) single through the right side. Senior third baseman Fran Kiernan (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) followed with a double to right field to drive in Trotta.

Le Moyne took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with three runs on two hits. Junior pitcher Sarah Harrison (Canandaigua, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) drew a walk on five pitches to open the frame and was replaced at first base by junior pinch-runner/right fielder Sarah Tram (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool). After a pop out, sophomore right fielder/left fielder Stephanie Ostrander (Gansevoort, N.Y./Schuylerville) blasted her first career home run over the fence in center field to tie the score at three apiece. Two batters later, Kermidas launched her 10th home run of the season over the fence in center field for a 4-3 lead. With the 10 home runs, Kermidas is just the third player in the program's history to record double-digit home runs, joining 2008 graduates Emma Murphy (10 in 2006) and Sarah Reed (12 in 2008).

Harrison recorded her 17th win of the season after striking out six batters, while scattering five hits and yielding three runs. Chelsea Shea took the loss for the Setters after allowing four runs on seven hits over six innings.

In the nightcap, the Dolphins scored two runs on two hits in the first inning. After Kermidas doubled on the first pitch of the frame, Kiernan drilled a two-run home run to left field with two outs.

Le Moyne pushed its lead to three with a run on two hits in the third inning. Kermidas singled up the middle with one out and was replaced at first by Tram. After a fly out, Trotta tripled to right center to plate Tram. The triple gave Trotta a hit in each of the last 17 games, the longest streak by a Dolphin since Murphy had a 21-game streak ended on May 1, 2008.

The Setters got on the scoreboard with one run on one hit in the fourth inning. Drury led off with a bunt single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a groundout by Garcia.

The Dolphins ended the game via the run-rule with six runs on five hits and one Pace error in the sixth inning. Cawley led off with a double to center field and came around to score on a two-out double down the left field line by sophomore catcher/designated player Kristie Capuano (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge). After junior pitcher Vanessa Utley (Monroe, Ga./Home School) reached on an error and freshman catcher Meaghan Polge (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee) walked to load the bases, Ostrander singled to right field to knock in Capuano and Utley. Freshman outfielder Allison Reynolds (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) followed with a single to center field to drive in Polge. After Tram walked to load the bases again, Cawley lined a single up the middle to plate Ostrander and Reynolds with the game-ending run.

Utley picked up her third victory of the season after striking out three batters over six innings, while yielding one run on four hits. Kermidas and Cawley each had two of Le Moyne's nine hits, while Cawley, Kiernan and Ostrander each drove in two runs. Kelly Fisher took the loss for the Setters after giving up nine runs (four earned) on nine hits over five and two-thirds innings.

Le Moyne (21-20, 15-10 NE-10, 11-10 SW), which has won five straight games and 10 of its last 14 games, opens play in the Northeast-10 Conference Championships with a first round game at third-seeded Southern Connecticut State University on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. The winner will advance to face UMass Lowell on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at Southern New Hampshire University, where the second round, semifinals (Friday) and finals (Saturday) will be held.