Syracuse, N.Y. – Junior right fielder Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) had three hits in the opener and senior shortstop Kaily LaForce (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton) scored three times in the nightcap as the Le Moyne College softball team swept Pace University in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon at the Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins won the opener, 5-3, and rallied for a 9-7 win in the nightcap.
 
The Dolphins opened the scoring in the first game in the second inning as Catalano blasted a one-out home run.

Pace answered with two runs in the third to take the lead. Arianna Guarracino led off with a single to center and moved to second as Arielle Acosta reached on an error by the pitcher. After a sacrifice bunt, Kaylani Miller singled to right field to knock in Guarracino and Acosta.

Le Moyne plated four runs in the fifth to take the lead back. Graduate student first baseman Taylor Artley (York Haven, Pa./Red Land) doubled to left center to start the inning, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground ball by sophomore left fielder Jillian Dunn (Fiskdale, Mass./Tantasqua Regional). Following an out, sophomore designated player Kaycee Hawk (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker/UAlbany) singled to right to drive in Dunn. LaForce followed with a triple to knock in Hawk and then scored on a double to right by Catalano.

The Setters scored once in the seventh, but couldn't complete the comeback. Guarracino doubled with one out and came around to score on a single to center by Acosta.

Redshirt freshman Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) struck out eight en route to earning her sixth win of the year, while yielding three runs over the seven innings. Catalano led the Dolphins offensively with three hits, while LaForce had a pair. Emma Bernet dropped to 0-1 on the year after allowing five runs and eight hits over four and two-thirds innings.

Pace started the scoring in the nightcap with three runs on three hits in the first inning. After Emma Carruth singled up the middle, Miller blasted a home run to right center field. On the very next pitch, first baseman Briana Ryan also launched a home run to right center.

The Dolphins got one run back in the bottom of the frame. With one out, LaForce reached second on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder. She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double to right field by Catalano, who was thrown out trying to get to third.

The Setters extended their lead to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the third inning. Following a single by Miller to lead off the inning, Ryan drilled a home run to right field.

Le Moyne scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to cut its deficit in half. Senior catcher Olivia Littman (Newfane, N.Y./Newfane) and freshman second baseman Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) recorded back-to-back singles with one out. Sophomore third baseman Makenzie Konik (Scotia, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) then reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder to load the bases. Artley followed with a four-pitch walk to force in Littman and then Nicolaos scored on a groundout by Dunn.

The Dolphins crossed the plate five times in the fifth to take the lead. LaForce led off with a triple to left field and then Hawk drew a walk and was replaced at first by junior pinch-runner Maddy Sehnert (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport). Following an out and a walk by Littman to load the bases, Nicolaos was hit by a pitch to knock in LaForce. Konik then blasted a grand slam to right center to put the Dolphins up 8-5.

LaForce pushed Le Moyne's lead to 9-5 with a solo home run to left field in the sixth.

Pace rallied again in the seventh inning, but like the first game, it came up short. Following two outs to start the frame, Ryan drilled the 10th pitch of the at-bat inside the foul pole in left field for her third home run of the game (and season). Brittany Walkingstick followed with a single through the left side and came around to score on a double to left by Alexandra Tejeda. The next batter was retired on a diving catch by the center fielder to end the game.

Sophomore Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) earned the win in relief after striking out three over the last five innings, while yielding two runs. Anna Acevedo took the loss for the Setters after giving up six runs over two innings of work.

Le Moyne (10-12, 10-12 NE10) closes out the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader with the Setters at 12:00 p.m. Prior to the first pitch, the senior class and Artley will be honored by the Dolphin Athletic Association for their contributions to the program.