Clermont, Fla. – Senior third baseman/designated player Kelly Mascari (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Buffalo) drove in two runs to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a 3-1 win over NYIT on Sunday morning at The Spring Games at the Legends Way Complex. The Bears rallied for a 9-7 win in the second game of the doubleheader.

The Dolphins broke through against the Bears in the opening game in the second inning with one run on one hit. Freshman third baseman/pitcher Peyton Bellrose (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) walked to open the frame, took second on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score on a single to left by junior pitcher Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott).

Le Moyne doubled its lead in the third inning. Senior center fielder Sabrina Riley (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) was hit by a pitch with one out and raced around to score on a double to left by Mascari.

NYIT got one run back in the top of the fourth on three hits. Catcher/shortstop Sydney Kratzert and third baseman Josephine Santagata recorded back-to-back one-out singles. Left fielder Christine Rizzacasa then reached on a bunt single and Kratzert was able to score as Santagata was retired at second.

The Dolphins finished off the game's scoring in the fifth on two hits. Senior shortstop Courtney Case (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) and Riley singled to start the inning. Mascari then laid down a squeeze bunt to plate Case from third.

Eastman struck out five over seven innings to improve to 6-1 in the circle for the season. Laura McLaughlin took the loss for the Bears after yielding three runs over six innings.

In the nightcap, the Dolphins scored twice in the first inning on three hits. Freshman catcher/designated player Ally Nicolosi (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) doubled to left with one out, stole third and scored on a double by Riley. After Mascari was hit by a pitch, Bellrose singled to knock in Riley.

The Bears answered with four runs in the bottom of the first on four hits and one Le Moyne error. Second baseman Kaitlyn Lanksbury led off with a double to left field and scored on a one-out single to center by designated player Tiffany McCracken. Following a single to center by catcher Madison Smith, first baseman Brooke Scherer doubled to center to plate McCracken and Smith. After an error moved Scherer to third, she scored as Santagata grounded out to third.

Le Moyne cut its deficit to one in the second inning and took the lead with two runs in the third. Sophomore second baseman Lauren Zazzaro (Southington, Conn./Southington) led off the second with a single to left, took second on a walk, stole third and then scored on a single to center by freshman left fielder Allie DeGrouchy (Bowie, Md./St. John's College High). In the third, Mascari led off with a single to right center and was replaced by freshman pinch-runner Kalie Schumaker (Constantia, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) on the basepaths. After taking second on a single by Bellrose and moving to third on a sacrifice bunt, Schumaker scored on a groundout by Zazzaro. Bellrose then scored as senior catcher Emily Bagley (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder.

The Dolphins extended their lead to 7-4 with two runs on two hits in the fifth inning. Bagley drew a walk with two outs and advanced to second on a single to center by senior pinch-hitter Morgan Hope (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley). Case followed with a double to knock in Bagley and Hope.

NYIT evened the score at seven apiece in the bottom of the fifth with three runs on two hits and one Le Moyne error. McCracken led off the frame with a home run to cut her team's deficit to two. After Smith reached on an error by the third baseman and stole second, she scored on a double to right center by Scherer, who took third on the throw home. Two batters later, Scherer scored on a sacrifice bunt by Santagata.

The Bears took the lead with two runs on two hits in the sixth. Right fielder Christine Olivas led off with a single to left field and came around to score on a double to left by Lanksbury. Two batters later, McCracken lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate Lanksbury.
 
Eastman suffered her second loss of the season after allowing two runs in one inning of relief. The top five hitters in Le Moyne's lineup (Case, Nicolosi, Riley, Mascari and Bellrose) each had two hits in the game. McLaughlin earned the win by tossing two scoreless innings in relief.

Le Moyne (8-2) is back on the diamond on Monday evening against Bentley University at 6:00 p.m. and Holy Family University at 8:30 p.m.