Syracuse, N.Y. – Junior left fielder Madison DeRita (Higganum, Conn./Mercy) drove in in the winning run in each game to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division action at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins won the opener, 4-0, and rallied for a 4-3 victory in the nightcap.

The Dolphins started the day's scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore third baseman/pitcher Peyton Bellrose (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) led off with a single down the left field line, took second on a walk by senior designated player Tess Andrews (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) and then stole third. DeRita followed with a single to right to plate Bellrose with the only run the Dolphins would need in the game. Andrews then scored on a double play.

Junior right fielder Lauren Zazzaro (Southington, Conn./Southington) led off the fourth by launching her seventh home run of the season over the fence in left center.

Le Moyne finished off the scoring in the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth. Graduate student center fielder Kelsey Johnson (Greece, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy/Buffalo/Syracuse) reached on an error by the shortstop with one out, advanced to second on a two-out single by Zazzaro and took third on a single by Bellrose. Johnson then raced home on a wild pitch.

Senior righty Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) struck out a career-high 12 batters en route to earning her 65th career victory, while yielding just four hits and not walking a batter. Zazzaro and Bellrose each finished with two hits and a run in the contest. Victoria Ceballos suffered the loss after allowing three runs over three and two-thirds innings.

The Dolphins scored first in the nightcap with a run in the first inning on two hits. After sophomore catcher Ally Nicolosi (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn) doubled to right center with one out, Zazzaro doubled to left center to knock her in.

The Owls got on the scoreboard and took the lead in the third inning. Catcher Heather Jackson led off with a single up the middle, but was retired at second as third baseman Sara Buscetto reached on a fielder's choice. After a walk by center fielder Jaime Conklin and a fly out, designated player Delany Turner doubled to right center to drive in Buscetto and Conklin.

Southern Connecticut State extended its lead with a run in the fourth. Right fielder Maria Zecena led off by reaching on an error by the second baseman. Two batters later, first baseman Jayden Delaporta doubled to left center to plate Zecena.

Le Moyne evened the score at three apiece in the bottom of the fifth on two hits and two errors by the Owls. Sophomore second baseman Jillian McManus (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) led off with a double to center and then Johnson reached on an error by the pitcher. After a groundout, an intentional walk to Zazzaro to load the bases and another groundout, DeRita singled to the shortstop to drive in Johnson, while Zazzaro scored on a throwing error by the shortstop.

The Dolphins walked off with the win with a run in the seventh on two hits. After Bellrose doubled to right center with two outs, DeRita singled down the left field line to plate Bellrose.

Freshman righty Lauren Nichols (Syracuse, N.Y./Solvay) earned the win in relief after recording seven of her 11 outs via strikeout, while yielding just one hit and one walk over three and two-thirds innings. Nicolosi, Zazzaro and DeRita each posted two hits in the game. Jazmyn Martinez allowed four runs (two earned) over six and two-thirds innings in the loss for the Owls.

Le Moyne (25-8, 10-5 NE10, 7-2 SW), which has won five straight games, completes its three-game series with the Owls on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.