North Easton, M.A. – The Le Moyne College softball split their first Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader of the season against Stonehill College on Thursday. The Dolphins claimed a 6-2 victory during the first game of the afternoon, then the Skyhawks won game two of the doubleheader by the same score.

Redshirt-sophomore right hander Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) earned her sixth pitching decision victory of the season during the first half of the doubleheader. Bennett went the full 7.0 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out nine hitters and conceding zero walks.

Junior center fielder Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace) went 3-4 at the plate during game one with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Senior catcher Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) and junior first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) both recorded an RBI during the victory, and redshirt-freshman third baseman Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Onondaga C.C.) blasted her second homerun of the season, a three-run shot, during the top of the 6^th inning in game one.

First year right-hander Julia Panarella (Southington, Conn./Southington) and sophomore right-hander Lindsey Dobbs (Schenectady, N.Y./Colonie) each spent three innings in the circle for the 'Phins during game number two. Nine different Le Moyne players recorded a base hit during the second game of the day, but the 'Phins could not rally back after falling behind 6-2 in the 4^th inning.

Bergdoll and first year catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) both recorded an RBI during game number two against the Skyhawks.

Boudreau slapped a two-out single over the left side of the infield then stole second base during the next at-bat in the top of the 3^rd inning of game one, but Stonehill starting pitcher Kelly Mayette recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

Bennett recorded the first nine outs of the game without allowing a baserunner, then the Skyhawks scratched across the first run of the game in the bottom of the 4^th, via a one-out double, a wild pitch and a ground ball to the left side to take a 1-0 lead.

Stonehill got a one-out single in the bottom of the 5^th, and with two outs in the inning the runner tried to steal second base. Le Moyne catcher CJ Barrett caught the pitch and thew a laser to second base from her knees, on target to junior infielder Makenzie Konik (Scotia, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) who applied the tag in time for the final out of the inning.

Boudreau led off the top of the 6^th inning for the 'Phins. The junior center fielder hit a ground ball to the shortstop and beat the throw to first base for a lead-off single.

Sophomore second baseman Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) came to the plate next and squared around with the intention of moving Boudreau into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. As soon as the ball collided with Nicolaos' bat, Boudreau sprinted towards second, and did not break stride as she rounded the base and headed for third while Stonehill threw the ball to first base for the force out. Had the subsequent throw from first to third been on target, Boudreau would have beat the ball to the bag with her head-first slide, but the throw sailed over the head of the third baseman and into foul territory, allowing Boudreau to dash home and tie the game at 1-1.

With one-out and nobody on base, Barrett kept the momentum going for the 'Phins by smacking a low-and-away pitch into left field for a base hit.

First year utility player Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker) hit a hard ground ball through the hole between the shortstop and third baseman to give Le Moyne runners on first and second with one-out.

Bergdoll came to the plate next, and put together a good at-bat, fouling off multiple two-strike pitches to stay alive. Bergdoll smashed the final pitch of her at-bat into the right-center field gap to drive in pinch runner Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) from second base to give the 'Phins their first lead of the day.

With runners on first and third, Larobardiere crushed her second homerun of the season to give Le Moyne a 5-1 advantage.

After Le Moyne's big offensive inning, Bennett shut down the Skyhawks with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 6^th which included two strikeouts.

Boudreau dropped down a one-out bunt single in the top of the 7^th to give the 'Phins their first baserunner of the inning. Boudreau stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then crossed home plate on a Barrett RBI sacrifice fly to left field to put Le Moyne up 6-1.

Stonehill scored a run in the bottom of the 7^th, but Bennett recorded a strikeout (swinging) to record the final out of the game and complete the 'Phins' Win.

First year left-hander Skylar Brandemarte pitched a complete game in the circle for the Skyhawks in game two of Thursday's doubleheader, allowing two runs and zero walks.

Le Moyne struck first in the top of the 1^st inning. Nicolaos hit a one-out infield single, Barrett singled into left field, and both runners advanced one base on a wild pitch. Bergdoll hit an RBI single to the shortstop to drive in Nicolaos from third.

The Skyhawks loaded the bases with zero outs in the bottom of the 3^rd inning. A passed ball advanced all three runners one base and tied the game at 1-1. A ground ball scored the second run of the inning, and a sacrifice fly made it 3-1 in favor of the Skyhawks. With the bases cleared and two outs, Brochu hit a solo homerun over the right field wall to make it 4-1, then Panarella got an infield pop-up to end the inning.

The 'Phins got a run back during the top of the 4^th. Larobardiere led off the inning with a hard ground ball base hit through the left side of the infield.

Senior right fielder Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) was due up next, and she fell into an 0-2 count. Catalano fouled off multiple two-strike deliveries, then put the ball in play during the final pitch of her at-bat to move the lead runner into scoring position with one out.

Rinaldi, who was pinch running for Larobardiere, was aggressive on the base paths. During Kassap's at-bat, Rinaldi got a big secondary lead, and drew a throw down to second base from the catcher. Rinaldi shifted her momentum back towards second base, but as the ball approached the infielder at the bag she started moving towards third. The throw to second base was off target, and rolled into shallow center field, which allowed Rinaldi to take third base.

Kassap smoked an RBI single through the left side of the infield to cut Le Moyne's deficit to 4-2.

Alexandra Hammond hit a two-run homerun during the bottom of the 4^th inning to extend Stonehill's lead to 6-2.

Le Moyne put four runners on base throughout the final three innings of the conference battle but were unable to rally back into the game.

The Le Moyne College softball team now holds a 9-9 record following the split against Stonehill and will next take on NE10 conference opponent Saint Anselm College in Syracuse on Saturday, April 2.