West Haven, C.T. – The Le Moyne College softball team split their Sunday afternoon doubleheader against the University of New Haven Chargers. New Haven won the first contest of the afternoon by a score of 5-3 with the help of two homeruns from Mya Case and one homerun from Jovanna Hillman. The Dolphins won the second half of Sunday's doubleheader by the same score.

"New Haven is a solid team and I'm pleased with the split. Julia Panarella was as tough as nails today in the circle. The team showed tremendous character in the second game coming from behind and finding a way to win," said Le Moyne Head Coach Tracey Roman after the games.

First year right-hander Julia Panarella (Southington, Conn./Southington) pitched all seven innings during the game two victory and allowed just one earned run.

Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace), Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker), Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport), and Dominique Russo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) each recorded two hits during the 5-3 Le Moyne victory. Boudreau hit a double and scored a run, as did Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal). Dybacz hit a triple and contributed two RBIs, and Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) provided a hit, an RBI and a run scored during the conference win.

During game one of Sunday's doubleheader, Dybacz and Catalano both went 1-3 at the plate with a run scored, an RBI and an extra-base hit.

Case went 2-2 with two runs scored, two homeruns, three RBIs and a walk during her team's 5-3 victory. Hillman went 2-3 with a homerun and two RBIs.

Redshirt-sophomore right-hander Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) started game one in the circle for Le Moyne and recorded 10 strikeouts during 6.0 innings of work.

Selena Aponte pitched all seven innings during game one to earn the win for the Chargers.

Case gave New Haven the lead in the bottom of the 3^rd with a two-run homerun, then Hillman ripped an RBI single later in the inning to give the Chargers a 3-0 advantage.

Nicolaos led off the top of the 4^th inning for Le Moyne with a base hit through the left side of the infield, then Barrett hit a ground ball to the right side to move Nicolaos into scoring position.

Dybacz came to the plate next and delivered an RBI double in left field. Catalano smashed an RBI double of her own to trade places with Dybacz and trim the deficit to 3-2.

Russo hit a ground ball to the right side which scored Catalano and tied the game at 3-3.

Case and Hillman both hit solo homeruns for the Chargers in the bottom of the 5^th inning to give New Haven a 5-3 lead.

Le Moyne did not put a runner on base during the 5^th, 6^th, or 7^th innings, and dropped game one in West Haven.

The Chargers scratched across a run during the 1^st inning of game two, then Hillman hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 3^rd to put New Haven up 2-0.

Barrett ripped a two-out double in the top of the 4^th to give Le Moyne their first baserunner of the inning, then Taylor Cox (Neversink, N.Y./Tri-Valley Secondary School) came in to pinch run.

Dybacz laced a single through the left side of the infield that brought Cox around to score and gave the 'Phins their first run of the game.

The Chargers got that run back in the bottom of the 4^th to put them up 3-1.

Russo gave the 'Phins their first baserunner of the 6^th inning with a two-out single to the shortstop, then Boudreau singled to the third baseman to put runners on first and second.

Nicolaos hit a ground ball to the right side and reached safely, which allowed Russo to score and cut the deficit to 3-2.

Panarella found herself in a bases-loaded, nobody out jam during the bottom of the 6^th inning.

She then got a ground ball to the right side, and shortstop Makenzie Konik (Scotia, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) got the force out at home for out number one.

Panarella then got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and keep the deficit at just one run.

The 'Phins then found themselves down to their final out in the top of the 7^th inning, trailing by a run with no runners on base.

Boudreau came up with a clutch double into left field. Nicolaos came to the plate next, and she drove in Boudreau with a single up the middle which tied the game at 3-3. Le Moyne then took the lead when Nicolaos came in to score after Barrett hit the ball to the right side of the infield and reached base safely on a throwing error by the New Haven infielder.

With a newly acquired 4-3 lead, Dybacz tripled into left field to drive in Barret and give the 'Phins an insurance run.

Panarella walked a batter with one out in the bottom of the second, then got a ground ball and a fly out to end the game and secure the win for the 'Phins.

The Le Moyne College softball team will remain in Connecticut for a Monday afternoon doubleheader at Southern Connecticut State University. First pitch for game one of Monday's doubleheader against the Owls is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST.