New Haven, Conn. – Sarah Koerner recorded four hits and scored four runs to lead Southern Connecticut State University to a sweep of the Le Moyne College softball team in a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader at Pelz Field. The Owls rallied for a 6-4 win in the opener and then posted an 8-1 victory in the nightcap.
The Dolphins got the scoring started in the first game with two runs on one hit in the first inning. Sophomore shortstop
Courtney Case (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) and junior right fielder
Kirsten Trotta (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. Dupont) were hit by pitches to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt, sophomore third baseman
Kelly Mascari (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Buffalo) singled to left field to drive in Case. Sophomore designated player
Emily Bagley (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) followed with a sacrifice fly to left to knock in Trotta.
The Owls got one run back in the bottom of the first on two hits. Koerner led off with a single to shortstop, stole second and then scored on a single by shortstop Nicole Buch.
Le Moyne regained a two-run lead in the third on one hit. Case drew a walk to open the inning, stole second, moved to third on a sac bunt by Trotta and then scored on a single by Mascari.
Southern Connecticut State scored twice on two hits in the bottom of the third. After Koerner singled to the pitcher to lead off the inning, third baseman Leanna Feerick blasted a two-out home run to even the score at three apiece.
The Dolphins took the lead back in the fourth as senior catcher
Kristie Capuano (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) drilled a home run to start the inning.
The Owls tied the score again in the bottom of the frame. Designated player Kelly Mitchell led off with a single to left, moved to second on a sac bunt, took third on a groundout and then scored on a single by left fielder Jaime Conklin.
Southern Connecticut State took the lead with two runs on two hits in the sixth inning. Right fielder Arianne Tedeschi walked with one out and took second on a sac bunt. Koerner then singled to plate Tedeschi with the go-ahead run. Buch followed with a single to drive in Koerner from second.
Freshman
Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) suffered the loss in the circle after allowing two runs on three hits over two and one-third innings of relief, while recording six of the seven outs via strikeout. Mascari accounted for two of Le Moyne's four hits in the game. Kelsey Cockrill recorded her ninth win of the season after striking out four batters over seven innings, while giving up four runs on four hits.
The Owls scored the only runs they would need in the nightcap on one hit and one Le Moyne error in the first inning. Second baseman Giuliana D'Arcangelo was hit by a pitch with two outs and then stole second. Feerick followed with a triple to drive in D'Arcangelo. Mitchell then reached on an error by the third baseman, which allowed Feerick to score.
Trotta cut Le Moyne's lead in half with a one-out solo home run in the second inning.
Southern Connecticut State blew the game open with four runs on four hits in the fifth inning. Conklin and Koerner opened the inning with singles. After an out, D'Arcangelo singled to second base to load the bases. Feerick then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Conklin. Following a wild pitch moved Koerner and D'Arcangelo up a base, Mitchell blasted a three-run home run for a 6-1 lead.
The Owls tacked on two runs on three hits in the sixth inning. Tedeschi led off with a double and came around to score on a two-out single by Buch. D'Arcangelo followed with a double to knock in Buch.
Eastman suffered her second loss of the day after yielding six runs (five earned) on six hits over four and two-thirds innings, while striking out four. Trotta registered two of Le Moyne's three hits in the game. Jessica Van Alphen earned the victory in the circle after giving up just one run on three hits, while striking out five hits.
Le Moyne (18-13, 10-9 NE-10, 9-8 SW), which has dropped three of its last four divisional games after winning seven straight, closes out the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader against the Owls at 12:00 p.m. The first game is the Southwest Division finale, while the nightcap is a non-conference game. The winner of the opening game will be the third seed in next week's Northeast-10 Championships and host a first round game on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., while the loser will claim the fourth seed if New Haven loses one of two games against Saint Rose. If New Haven wins both games against the Golden Knights, the Le Moyne/Southern Connecticut State loser will not qualify for the Northeast-10 Championships.
