New Haven, C.T. – The Le Moyne College softball team split their doubleheader against Southern Connecticut State University on Monday afternoon in New Haven.

The Dolphins registered a 3-0 victory over the Owls in game one with the help of a complete-game shutout in the circle by Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post). The Owls bounced back with a 12-4 win during the second half of the doubleheader.

"Laura (Bennett) threw a strategically smart game today and kept some of the best hitters in the conference off balance," said Le Moyne Head Coach Tracey Roman after today's games. "Offensively we came out swinging in both games and were able to put up some runs. In the second game we gifted our opponent 11 baserunners with a combination of walks, errors, and hit batters. Combine that with a few wild pitches and timely hitting by SCSU, we created an insurmountable deficit for ourselves. We have to do better than that moving forward and I'm confident we will. Tomorrow is another day and another opportunity," added Coach Roman.

Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) recorded a game-high two hits during Le Moyne's 3-0 victory with a stolen base and a run scored.

Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker) ripped a double and drove in a run during the 'Phins' win.

Bennett allowed just three baserunners through the first five innings, and no SCSU runner got into scoring position until the final inning.

Le Moyne took a 1-0 lead in game one during the top of the 3^rd inning. Nicolaos pulled a two-out single down the left field line, then Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) hit a ground ball through the left side of the infield to put runners on first and second for Le Moyne.

Dybacz ripped a double down the left field line to drive in Nicolaos and give the Dolphins a 1-0 advantage.

The Dolphins doubled their lead in the top of the 6^th. With two outs and nobody on base, Dominique Russo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) put the ball in play, reached on a fielding error and advanced to second base on the play. Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) dropped down a bunt, and a throwing error allowed her to reach base and brought Russo around to score to make it 2-0 in favor of the Dolphins.

Bennett allowed a leadoff base hit in the bottom of the 6^th, but then she got a strikeout, a line drive to the shortstop and another strikeout to end the inning.

Le Moyne added on their final run during the top of the 7^th. Makenzie Konik (Scotia, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) laid down a bunt single to lead off the inning, then Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace) did the same thing to put runners on first and second with zero outs.

Nicolaos dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error brought Konik in to score and allowed Nicolaos to advance to second.

SCSU got two consecutive fly balls to end the inning without sustaining further damage.

A one-out single and a ground ball to the right side gave the Owls their first runner in scoring position during the bottom of the 7^th, but Bennett recorded a strikeout to complete her complete-game shutout and secure the win for the 'Phins.

Lindsey Dobbs (Schenectady, N.Y./Colonie) started game two in the circle for Le Moyne and completed 4.2 innings of work. The Owls took a 1-0 lead in game number two during the bottom of the 1^st inning, and Le Moyne did not put a single runner on base until the top of the 5^th.

Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) hit a two-out double down the left field line in the 5^th inning, then Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) delivered an RBI base-hit to tie the game at 1-1. The 'Phins took the lead later in the inning when Rinaldi drove in Taylor Cox (Neversink, N.Y./Tri-Valley Secondary School), who was pinch-running for Bergdoll, with a base hit into right field.

Southern Connecticut scored five runs during the bottom of the 5^th inning to take a 6-2 lead.

The 'Phins got two runs back during the top of the 6^th inning. Nicolaos hit a one-out single to the third baseman, then Dybacz reached on a fielding error.

Catalano ripped a single into right field that drove in Nicolaos, and Dybacz also scored on the play after an error by the Owls.

SCSU scored six runs during the bottom of the 6^th inning which ended the game at 12-4.

The Le Moyne College softball team will next be in action on Tuesday, April 12 when they travel to Albany, New York to play a doubleheader against the College of Saint Rose.