Springfield, M.A. – The Le Moyne College softball team won two Northeast-10 Conference contests on Thursday afternoon against American International College.

The Dolphins claimed the first game of the doubleheader in six innings by a score of 8-0, then jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the 2^nd in game two before cruising to a 9-3 victory over the Yellow Jackets.

"We swung the bats consistently in both games. (CJ) Barrett, (Isabelle) Boudreau, and (Alyssa) Dybacz have been solid all year offensively. Today we had production throughout the entirety of our lineup allowing us to put more runs on the board. Laura (Bennett) would throw every inning of every game if I let her. She wants the ball and the responsibility that comes with leading us through difficult situations. Her competitiveness and insatiable desire to win makes her tough to beat," said Le Moyne Head Coach Tracey Roman following today's wins.

Redshirt-sophomore right-hander Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) pitched all 13.0 innings of the conference doubleheader on Thursday to earn her ninth and tenth pitching decision wins of the season. She allowed just four hits, one walk, and zero runs, while recording 11 strikeouts during the 8-0 victory, then allowed just two earned runs and struck out seven batters in the 9-3 win.

Senior right fielder Victoria Catalano (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) smashed her first home run of the season, a solo shot, during the 4^th inning of game one and finished the doubleheader with two hits, two walks, two runs scored and three RBI.

Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace), Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker), and Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) each recorded three hits during the combined 13 innings of action on Thursday.

Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) went 2-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI during the game two victory.

Le Moyne took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1^st inning during game one.

Boudreau dropped down a leadoff bunt single, then stole second base during the next at-bat. Nicolaos hit a fly ball to center field, which was deep enough for Boudreau to tag up and take third base. Barrett drew a walk, then Dybacz launched an RBI sacrifice fly to left field which brought Boudreau home to score.

Bennett struck out the side in the top of the 3^rd, then the 'Phins doubled their lead in the bottom of the inning.

Just like the first time around, Boudreau led off the inning with a bunt single. Nicolaos laid down a sacrifice bunt during the next Le Moyne at-bat, and Boudreau was able to advance to third from first on the play. With two outs in the inning, Dybacz singled through the left side of the infield for her second RBI of the game to put the Dolphins up 2-0.

Bennett got another 1-2-3 inning during the top of the 4^th, then Le Moyne added on four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Catalano led off the bottom of the 4^th with a solo homerun over the left field fence to make it 3-0, then Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) singled with the bases cleared and advanced to second on a fielding error.

With Rinaldi on second base and nobody out, Makenzie Konik (Scotia, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) squared around and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Rinaldi over to third.

Boudreau singled to the shortstop, which drove in Rinaldi, and was able to advance to second on the play following a throwing error.

Nicolaos reached base on a fielding error, and Boudreau advanced to third. Nicolaos stole second, and Boudreau scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0 in favor of the Dolphins.

Barrett ripped a single through the right side to drive in Nicolaos, and then after a Dybacz infield single, Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) singled to left field to drive in Barrett and extend Le Moyne's lead to 7-0.

Bennett allowed a leadoff single in the top of the 5^th, but Le Moyne recorded an out on a sacrifice bunt and then Bennett struck out the next two batters (both swinging) to end the inning and keep her shutout intact.

Boudreau led off the bottom of the 6^th for Le Moyne and reached base safely on a fielding error, then Nicolaos moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt towards the third baseman.

Barrett drew a walk, then Dybacz drew a walk to load the bases. Catalano stepped to the plate next and drew an RBI walk which made it 8-0 'Phins and ended the contest.

During game two of Thursday's NE10 doubleheader, Le Moyne opened up a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the 2^nd inning.

Dybacz led off the bottom of the 2^nd with a double into the right-center field gap, then Kassap drew a walk. Catalano ripped a single into right-center field which drove in Dybacz. Konik drew a walk to load the bases, then Taylor Cox (Neversink, N.Y./Tri-Valley Secondary School), who was pinch running for Kassap, scored from third base on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Catalano scored on a wild pitch, then Konik scored on a passed ball to put Le Moyne up 4-0.

A Nicolaos single into right field followed by a throwing error on the play allowed Boudreau to cross the plate, then Barrett drove in Nicolaos with a single through the right side of the infield to extend Le Moyne's lead to 6-0.

Bennett conceded her first run of the afternoon during the top of the 4^th when AIC scratched across a run via a bunt single, a single into left field and a wild pitch.

Dominique Russo (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) drew a walk for Le Moyne to lead off the bottom of the 4^th, then Boudreau was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with zero outs.

Russo and Boudreau successfully executed a double steal to put runners on second and third, then Nicolaos drove a two-RBI double into left field to make it 8-1.

Barrett ripped a single into center field to move Nicolaos to third, then Nicolaos scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to make it 9-1.

Le Moyne had a chance to end the game in the top of the 5^th due to the 8-run rule, but the Yellow Jackets rallied and scored two runs to stay in the game.

Bennett delivered a 1-2-3 top of the 6^th, then recorded two strikeouts in the final inning to close out the game and secure the 9-3 win for the 'Phins.

The Le Moyne College softball team will be in action next on Saturday, April 23 when they play a doubleheader at Saint Michael's College against the Purple Knights.