Syracuse, N.Y. – Two-time reigning Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Brenna Martini blasted a grand slam to center field to break a tie as Adelphi University recorded an 8-4 win over the Le Moyne College softball team in NE10 Southwest Division play on Sunday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex.

The Panthers got the game's scoring started with a run on two hits in the third inning. Center fielder Krista King singled to third base with two outs, stole second and scored on a double to left center by designated player/left fielder Nicoletta Cuccio.

Le Moyne responded in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at one. Graduate student center fielder Kelsey Johnson (Greece, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy/Buffalo/Syracuse) singled down the left field line with two outs and came around to score on a double to left by sophomore catcher Ally Nicolosi (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn).

Adelphi blew the game open with five runs on four hits in the fifth inning. Right fielder Lauren O'Neill reached on a bunt single to third and King followed with a walk. Cuccio then singled to the center fielder to load the bases. On the first pitch she saw, Martini launched the ball over the fence in straightaway center field for a 5-1 lead. Following a pitching change, second baseman Nicole Camera smacked a home run to right center.

The Panthers extended their lead in the sixth with a run. Pinch-hitter Lauren Sandelier walked with one out and was replaced at first by left fielder Elisabeth Berard. After stealing second and moving to third on a two-out single to third by King, Berard raced home on a wild pitch.

The Dolphins answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut their deficit by one-third. Nicolosi worked a walk to start the frame and came around to score on a triple to right center by junior right fielder Lauren Zazzaro (Southington, Conn./Southington), who then scored on a wild pitch.

Adelphi pushed its lead back to five in the seventh on one hit. Martini led off with a double to shallow left field that dropped next to the shortstop and was replaced at second by pinch-runner Kristin Fealy. Camera then walked on four pitches and the following batter struck out. After shortstop Kailah Konkel was hit by a pitch to load the bases, catcher Christina Rizzi was hit by a pitch to force in Fealy.

The Dolphins brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to score more than once in the inning. Johnson singled through the right side with two outs and Nicolosi and Zazzaro followed by drawing walks to load the bases. Sophomore third baseman Peyton Bellrose (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) then worked a 13-pitch walk, including seven foul balls after falling behind in the count 0-2, to drive in Johnson and force an Adelphi pitching change. Jessica Vadala induced a fly ball to the middle of left field to end the game.

Senior Alexis Eastman (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) had her win streak of nine straight starts snapped after allowing five runs over four and one-third innings, while striking out five. Johnson and Zazzaro each had two hits for the Dolphins in the setback. Nicole Mengel earned her ninth win of the season – and second of the weekend – after striking out seven over six and two-thirds innings, while yielding four runs. Vadala earned her NE10-leading fifth save of the year by retiring the only batter she faced.

Le Moyne (27-10, 12-7 NE10, 9-4 SW), which falls into a three-way tie with Adelphi (13-4) and Pace (10-4) for the fewest losses in the division, wraps up its non-conference schedule on Tuesday at the University of the Sciences at 2:00 p.m.