Winter Haven, Fla. – The Le Moyne College softball team won both games of their doubleheader on Tuesday at The Spring Games in Winter Haven. The Dolphins defeated Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 3-1, in the morning, then took down the #4 nationally ranked University of Indianapolis in the afternoon by a score of 2-1. Le Moyne's victory over #4 UIndy is the highest ranked win for the Le Moyne College softball program since 2003.

"Huge performances from our pitching staff today. Julia (Panarella) kept one of the top offensive teams in the country off balance for five innings which is remarkable as a freshman. Laura (Bennett) came in and bailed us out of a very tough spot to close the game. Their mental fortitude in the circle put us in a position to win. UIndy is a national perennial powerhouse which is where we aspire to be as a program. Persevering and winning games like these is an acquired skill that can only be mastered by consistently playing high level competition. Today was a big step in the right direction for our program," said Le Moyne Head Coach Tracey Roman after the game.

Redshirt-sophomore Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) was dominant in the circle for the 'Phins in game number one against IUP.

Bennett surpassed over 100 career strikeouts while in Winter Haven, and against IUP she recorded a career-high 15 K's.

Bennett came out of the gates firing, recording eight of her first nine outs via strikeout.

After Bennett struck out the side in the top of the first, the 'Phins threw an uppercut in the bottom of the inning.

Fleet-footed sophomore center fielder Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu/Pace) continued to show why she is such a tough out at the top of the 'Phins lineup. Boudreau dropped down a bunt in Le Moyne's first at-bat of the game. The bunt was laid down in a great spot, and fielded by the IUP catcher, who had no chance of throwing out Boudreau. The throw was made anyway, inaccurately, and it rolled past the IUP right fielder towards the wall. Boudreau rounded second and was going to reach third base standing up. The throw into the cut-off infielder was also off the mark, and Boudreau crossed home plate while the Crimson Hawks chased the ball down in the infield.

With one out in the inning, three-hitter Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) turned on a pitch and blasted a solo homerun over the right center field wall to give the 'Phins a 2-0 lead in the 1^st inning.

Barrett's bat stayed hot in the top of the 4^th, as she smashed a leadoff double to left center, however IUP starting pitcher Bella Bucy zoned in and recorded three straight outs to get out of the inning unscathed.

Bennett recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 5^th, then Le Moyne tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning.

First year utility player Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker) hit a hard ground ball through the left side of the infield in the hole between the shortstop and third baseman for a leadoff single.

Senior right fielder Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) poked a bloop single into shallow center field to give the 'Phins runners on first and second with zero outs.

Junior left fielder Dominique Russo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) came to the plate next and dropped a bunt down the third base line. The IUP pitcher and third baseman ran into each other, and all three Le Moyne baserunners advanced safely, loading the bases.

Dybacz came in to score on a wild pitch, giving the Dolphins a 3-0 lead, then Bucy got two pop ups and a fly ball to end the inning.

In the top of the 6^th inning, IUP got a one-out double, then the baserunner advance to third on a wild pitch.

Coach Roman walked to the circle for a quick chat with her unflappable starting pitcher. The conversation between coach and player must've been productive because Bennett recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and keep the shutout alive.

Junior first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) ripped a two out single into left field between the fielder and the foul line, then Dybacz (a first-year player that is batting .500 through eight at-bats in The Spring Games so far) crushed the ball into center field, but it was right at the fielder who caught the ball to end the inning.

Jenna Rhue hit a leadoff solo homerun in the top of the 7^th to get the Crimson Hawks on the board and reduce their deficit to 3-1.

Holding onto a two-run lead with three outs to go, Bennett locked in and recorded her 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th strikeouts back-to-back-to-back to end the game and earn the 'Phins a 3-1 victory.

In the second game of the afternoon, the 'Phins got to test themselves against a previously 17-1 UIndy squad that was ranked #4 nationally in the most recent NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.

Freshman right-hander Panarella was given the ball for the 'Phins, and with an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with a top-5 nationally ranked program in her first collegiate season, Panarella absolutely delivered. She went 5.0+ innings, conceded just three hits and was responsible for just one earned run while striking out four UIndy batters.

Bennett returned to the circle and got the final six outs of the game for the 'Phins to earn the save.

The first two innings flew by with no runs scored, then the Greyhounds threatened in the bottom of the 3^rd with runners on second and third with two outs.

The next University of Indianapolis batter hit a hard-line drive to center field that was difficult to read off the bat. The ball kept carrying, and Boudreau made a great recovery, reached up and caught the ball to end the inning.

The 'Phins got on the board in the top of the 4^th inning.

Le Moyne's lead off hitter, Boudreau, led off the 4^th inning. UIndy, having read the scouting report, had both their middle infielders in towards home plate to dissuade Boudreau from dropping down a bunt. In her first at bat of the game, Boudreau made an adjustment and tried to lift the ball over the middle infielders, but she popped up to the shortstop. In her second at-bat, with the defense playing in, Boudreau did not show bunt until the very last second. In the blink of an eye, Boudreau squared around and dropped down another picture-perfect bunt at The Spring Games. This one was towards the first base side, and even with the infield in, the throw did not have a chance to beat Boudreau to the bag.

With zero outs and a runner on first, first year shortstop Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Boudreau into scoring position.

Dybacz came to the plate next, and her bat stayed hot. She ripped the ball over the second baseman's head into right center field, knocking in Boudreau for an RBI single.

Panarella struck out the side in the bottom of the 5^th, and the 'Phins used that momentum to add a run in the top of the 6^th.

Barrett hit a one-out double into left center field, then sophomore second baseman Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) was hit by a pitch.

Dybacz came to the plate next, set to face Kenzee Smith, who entered the game in relief and is 9-1 on the season with 85 strikeouts as starter for UIndy.
Dybacz came up huge for the 'Phins, lacing a line drive into right center field, just beyond the reach of the UIndy second baseman that was ranging to her right.

The base hit scored pinch runner Taylor Cox (Neversink, N.Y./Tri-Valley Secondary School) from second, but Nicolaos was thrown out at home, and then Dybacz was thrown out while trying to advance to third base, which ended the inning, but not before the Dolphins extended their lead to 2-0.

The dramatic double-play surprise ending to the bottom of the 6^th uplifted the Greyhounds as they retreated to their dugout and grabbed their bats.

University of Indianapolis put runners on second and third with zero outs, and then Coach Roman called on Bennett to enter the game in relief.

Bennet got an infield pop-up, a sacrifice fly to left field (which made it 2-1 in favor of Le Moyne) and then another infield pop-up to get out the jam.

Bennett gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the 7^th, then Sydnie Foster dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position.

Once again, the Le Moyne pitching staff refused to fold under pressure.

Holding onto a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 7^th inning, with one out and a runner on second, against a scorching hot UIndy team that has won 17 of their first 18 games of the season, Bennett gritted her teeth and struck out the next two Greyhound batters (both swinging) to end the game and earn the Le Moyne College softball program their first win over a top-5 nationally ranked opponent since 2003.

The Dolphins improved to 5-5 on the season following today's wins, and they will be back in action on Wednesday for a doubleheader against Molloy College.