New Haven, Conn. – Center fielder Brittany Bucko had two hits and scored two runs to lead third-seeded Southern Connecticut State University to a 2-1 win over the fourth-seeded Le Moyne College softball team on Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships at Pelz Field.

Bucko, last year's Northeast-10 Player of the Year, led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to left center to get the Owls on the scoreboard.

After four scoreless innings, the Owls scored what turned out to be the game-winning run on two hits. Bucko, who struck out to end the game against the Dolphins in last year's Championships, led off with a single to left center and then stole second base. After a pair of outs, first baseman Kaley Marden singled to left field to drive in Bucko.

Le Moyne (21-21) plated one run and had the tying run in scoring position in the top of the seventh, but could not keep its season alive. Junior pitcher Sarah Harrison (Canandaigua, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) led off with a single back to the pitcher and was replaced at first base by junior pinch-runner Erin Batson (Poland, N.Y./Poland). After a foul out and a pop out around a walk by freshman Allison Reynolds (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield), Batson was able to score from second on a throwing error by the first baseman after catching the pop out. SCSU pitcher Kelsey Cockrill was able to strike the next batter out to end the game.

Harrison suffered the loss after yielding two runs on four hits over six innings, while striking out two batters. Seniors Demetra Kermidas (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) and Fran Kiernan (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) each had one of Le Moyne's four hits in their final collegiate game. Cockrill, who gave up late-innings leads to the Dolphins on April 20 and 21 and took the loss in last year's NE-10 tournament game, earned her 13th win after striking out five and allowing just an unearned run on four hits over seven innings.