DeWitt, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team dropped both games of their Saturday afternoon Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against the visiting Hawks of Saint Anselm College at the Carrier Park softball fields.
Saint Anselm claimed a 4-1 victory over the Dolphins during the first half of the doubleheader, then the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st during game number two and got a great outing in the circle from first year right-hander Sophia DiPippo to win the second game of the afternoon by a score of 5-2.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander
Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) pitched all seven innings for Le Moyne during game one. Bennett allowed just five hits, three earned runs and one walk while striking out seven Saint Anselm hitters. Saint Anselm sophomore right-hander Haile Hicks also went the distance in the circle during the first game of the afternoon and earned her 10th pitching decision victory of the season. Hicks also allowed just five hits in 7.0 innings of work and struck out nine Le Moyne hitters.
Senior catcher
Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) went 2-4 at the plate during the 4-1 loss, then went 1-3 with an RBI in game two.
Sophomore second baseman
Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) recorded a hit, reached base safely three times, and scored Le Moyne's only run during the first half of the doubleheader. Junior first baseman
Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) recorded the base-hit RBI that drove in Nicolaos.
Bennett allowed just one baserunner during the first three innings, and Le Moyne scored the first run of the day during the bottom of the 3rd.
Nicolaos was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then Barrett singled up the middle. A double steal during the next at-bat put runners on second and third.
Bergdoll ripped a base hit into right field to drive in Nicolaos and give the 'Phins a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd. Hicks recorded two strikeouts to end the inning.
Gracie O'Hara hit a leadoff triple for the Hawks in the top of the 4th, then Bailey Cain singled up the middle to tie the game at 1-1. Saint Anselm continued to threaten in the inning and put runners on second and third with zero outs. Le Moyne Head Coach
Tracey Roman came out to have a chat with Bennett, and after she returned to the dugout Bennett recorded a three-pitch strikeout that concluded with a nasty changeup that the batter watched into the catcher's mitt for a called strike three. Kylee Royer stepped to the plate next and jumped on the first pitch, pulling it down the third base line for a two-RBI double to put the Hawks up 3-1.
Saint Anselm added an insurance run in the top of the 5th, and the Dolphins were unable to put a runner in scoring position during the final four innings of the game.
A one-out single, followed by a walk and a two-RBI triple, then a sacrifice fly put the Hawks up 3-0 after the top of the 1st inning in game number two.
The 'Phins got a run back in the bottom of the 1st.
Junior center fielder
Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace) drew a walk to lead off the inning, then the two-hitter Nicolaos dropped down a sacrifice bunt towards the left side of the infield that allowed Boudreau to advance all the way to third base.
Barrett hit a ground ball to the right side to drive in Boudreau and cut Le Moyne's deficit to 3-1.
Julia Panarella (Southington, Conn./Southington) shut down the Hawks in the top of the 2nd, and the 'Phins tacked on another run in the bottom of the inning.
Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) hit a one-out single into right center field to give Le Moyne their first base runner of the inning, then Catalano advanced to second base following an infield popup.
Makenzie Konik (Scotia, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) dropped down a sacrifice bunt and reached base safely following a throwing error from the Saint Anselm third baseman, which also allowed Catalano to come home and score, making it 3-2 in favor of the Hawks in the bottom of the 2nd.
The Hawks added a run in the top of the 5th, then made it 5-2 in the top of the 7th via back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly.
In the final five innings of the game, Le Moyne had two total baserunners, and did not put a runner in scoring position.
The Le Moyne College softball team dropped to 9-11 following the two losses on Saturday, but will play another doubleheader at Carrier Park on Monday against the visiting Penmen of Southern New Hampshire University.
