Syracuse, N.Y. – Senior shortstop Courtney Case (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) had six hits to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a sweep of the University of New Haven in a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division doubleheader on Friday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins won the opener in five innings, 8-0, and captured the nightcap, 11-1, in five innings.

With the victories, the Dolphins improve to 9-8 in the Southwest Division and clinch the division's final spot in the NE10 Championship field. The Dolphins are one game behind New Haven in the standings and close out the regular season with the Chargers on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. The winner of the contest will clinch the third seed and host the loser in the first round of the NE10 Championships on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.

The Dolphins opened the first game's scoring with three runs on three hits in the first inning. Case led off with a single down the left field line and advanced to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Following a sacrifice bunt moved Case to third, senior center fielder Sabrina Riley (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) singled to left field to knock in Case. After senior third baseman Kelly Mascari (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Buffalo) was hit by a pitch, freshman designated player/pitcher Peyton Bellrose (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) doubled to right field to drive in Riley. Mascari then scored from third on a groundout.

Le Moyne added three more runs on four hits in the second inning. Sophomore left fielder Lauren Zazzaro (Southington, Conn./Southington) doubled down the left field line with one out and came around to score on a single to left by Case, who again advanced to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Following a single and stolen base by freshman catcher Ally Nicolosi (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn), Case scored from third on a passed ball. Riley then tripled to right field to drive in Nicolosi.

The Dolphins closed out the game with two runs on one hit and two New Haven errors in the fifth inning. Riley reached second on a dropped fly ball by the second baseman to start the frame. After a foul out and a walk by Bellrose to put runners at the corners, sophomore right fielder Madison DeRita (Higganum, Conn./Mercy) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to knock in Riley. Following a single by freshman first baseman Taylor Artley (York Haven, Pa./Red Land) put runners on the corners again, Bellrose scored the last run on a wild pitch.

Junior righty Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) earned her conference-best 17th win of the season after striking out eight over five scoreless innings, while allowing just two hits. Case and Riley each had two hits and two runs in the victory. Megan Butts took the loss for the Chargers after giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits in just one and one-third innings.

In the nightcap, the Dolphins scored twice on three hits in the first inning. Case led off with a single up the middle, moved to second on a sac bunt by Nicolosi, took third on a single by Riley and scored on a squeeze bunt by Mascari. Bellrose then doubled to right center to drive in Riley.

In the third, Zazzaro singled up the middle with one out and came around to score on a double to left center by Case.

New Haven scored its only run of the day in the fourth inning. Third baseman Taylor Luzzi led off with a double to right center and scored on a two-out double to left center by right fielder Tori Schiebe.

Le Moyne blew the game open with eight runs on nine hits in the fourth inning. Zazzaro led off with a single down the left field line and scored on a triple to right field by Case. The triple marked the 18th of Case's career, which ties Emily Senko '03 for the most in the program's history. Nicolosi followed with a single down the right field line to drive in Case for her 150th career run, which is the second-most in the program's history. Following singles by Riley and Mascari to load the bases and force a New Haven pitching change, Bellrose blasted a grand slam over the fence in left center. Following a pair of outs, freshman second baseman Jillian McManus (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) singled to the shortstop and then came home on a triple to right center by Zazzaro, who then scored on a double to right center by Case, which completed a cycle in the inning by the Dolphins.

Bellrose earned her ninth victory of the season after yielding just one run over five innings. Case registered four hits, three RBI and two runs in the game, while Bellrose had three hits and five RBI and Zazzaro posted three hits and three runs scored. Kylie Stonebraker took the loss for the Chargers after giving up eight runs and 11 hits over three-plus innings pitched.