Leesburg, Fla. – The Le Moyne College softball team won a pair of close non-conference contests at The Spring Games on Friday afternoon.

The Dolphins defeated Wayne State University by a score of 7-5 in game one before earning a 7-6 win against Purdue University Northwest during the second half of their doubleheader.

Redshirt-junior right-hander Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) pitched 4.0 scoreless innings in relief against the Wayne State Warriors and was credited with the win after Le Moyne took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth with the help of a two-run home run from graduate catcher Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) and a hard hit ball from sophomore outfielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker) that  got past the second baseman and allowed both Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) and Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) to cross the plate.

During the game two matchup against the Purdue Northwest Pride, who entered the contest with an 8-3 record at the Spring Games, Bennett pitched all 7.0 innings and allowed just three earned runs to earn the complete-game victory, while senior first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) provided a team-best three hits, including her first home run of the season, and a career-high five runs batted in during the win. Bergdoll was just a double shy of hitting for the cycle against the Pride.

"Laura Bennett kept two very good hitting teams in check today," said Le Moyne head coach Tracey Roman following the doubleheader sweep. "She competes with every single pitch she throws and is as mentally tough as they come. Our offense is flat-out dangerous when we swing it like we did today. Aside from our starting lineup, we have people coming in off the bench and producing in critical moments. These two wins were a total team effort," Roman continued.

The 'Phins launched three home runs in game one (one each from Dybacz, Barrett and Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Onondaga C.C.)) and then Bergdoll's two-run shot in game two pushed the team's season total for long balls to 11, which is tied for the most among NE10 teams.

Larobardiere herself has four home runs already this season, including three at the Spring Games, which is tied for the most among NE10 players. The redshirt-sophomore third baseman improved her season batting average to .439 by going 2-2 at the plate with a walk and two RBIs against Wayne State, then 1-2 at the plate with two walks against PNW.

Bennett's two wins on Friday gives her five for the year, which is tied for the second most among NE10 players. Laura has tallied 82 strikeouts already this season, which is the second most in the conference.

Sophomore righty Julia Panarella (Southington, Conn./Southington) started game one in the circle for Le Moyne and pitched 1.2 innings, then redshirt-sophomore right-hander Michaela Stockwell (Fort Plain, N.Y./Fort Plain) tossed 1.1 innings in relief.

Bennett entered the game in the top of the fourth with zero outs, and allowed just three hits and zero walks with seven strikeouts over the final 4.0 innings of the contest.

Game one vs Wayne State:
The Warriors scratched across two runs in the top of the first inning via a leadoff single, a sacrifice bunt that moved the runner into scoring position, followed by a ground ball to the right side and two RBI doubles that sandwiched a walk. Panarella got a ground ball to Rinaldi at second base to end the inning.

Le Moyne got both runs back with some clutch two-out hitting from the middle of the lineup.

Rookie DP/first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) was facing a two-strike count with two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the first when she went and got an outside pitch and drove the ball over the right fielder's head for a double.

During the next at bat, Larobardiere had two strikes on her when she hammered an off speed pitch over the center field fence to tie the game at 2-2.

The Warriors took the lead back in the top of the second with an RBI sacrifice fly from sophomore shortstop Leah Wrubel and an RBI single from redshirt-senior third baseman Taryn Peru.

Stockwell entered the game with two outs and runners on second and third, and immediately got a ground ball to Rinaldi to end the frame and keep the score at 4-2 in favor of the Warriors.

Wayne State put a runner in scoring position with two outs in the top of the third, then junior right fielder Shelby Miller hit the ball through the right side to drive in the run and give the Warriors a 5-2 advantage. Freshman second baseman Maddie Hool hit a slow ground ball to the right side during the next at bat. Rinaldi charged the ball, avoided the baserunner going to second, then fielded the ball cleanly and smoothly threw across her body on the run to get the out at first and end the inning.

The Warriors recorded back-to-back singles to lead off the top of the fourth, then Roman sent Bennett out to the circle.

Bennett got a ground ball to the left side, and Larobardiere stepped on third to retire the lead runner for the first out. Bennett struck the next two hitters out swinging to end the inning and prevent further damage.

Larobardiere smashed the ball on the ground through the left side of the infield to lead off the bottom of the fourth, then freshman Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) entered the game as a pinch runner.

Bergdoll moved Linn into scoring position with a ground ball to the left side, which brought CJ Barrett to the plate. Le Moyne's graduate catcher turned on a pitch at the knees and launched the ball over the right field fence to trim Le Moyne's deficit to 5-4.

Rinaldi was hit by a pitch, then Kassap stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and hammered the first pitch she saw into left field for a base hit.

Senior center fielder Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace) hit a line drive that dropped in front of the center fielder with two outs in the inning, loading the bases for Le Moyne's two-hitter Alyssa Dybacz.

Dybacz ripped a hard ground ball to the right side of the infield which the Wayne State second baseman could not handle. The ball snuck into the outfield grass, allowing both Kassap and Rinaldi to score on the play, giving the 'Phins a 6-5 lead.

Wayne State threatened to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Sophomore center fielder Mady Ruczynski led off the fifth inning with a single through the left side of the Le Moyne infield, then senior first baseman Breanna Paolatto moved Ruczynski into scoring position with a ground ball back to the pitcher. During the next at bat, Miller swung at a pitch and hit the ball softly towards the left side. The ball died in a perfect spot between the pitcher, catcher, and third baseman, allowing Miller to reach safely with no throw on the play. Bennett attacked the next hitter, getting ahead 0-2 before forcing an infield popup to Bergdoll. Bennett struck out the next batter on a rise ball to end the inning and maintain Le Moyne's one-run lead.

Bennett recorded a 1-2-3 inning with two more strikeouts in the top of the sixth, then the 'Phins tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Dybacz jumped on a fastball over the heart of the plate and sent the ball flying over the center field fence for her second home run of the year.

Ruczynski delivered a one-out double in the top of the seventh, but Bennett struck out the next two batters to end the game and secure a 7-5 win for the 'Phins.
 
Game two vs Purdue Northwest:
With one out in the top of the first, Dybacz swung at the first pitch she saw and hit a bloop single into shallow right-center field that dropped in between the second baseman, center fielder and right fielder. Benderski turned on a pitch during the next at bat and ripped a double over the left fielder's head, moving Dybacz to third. Larobardiere then fell behind in a 1-2 count, but was able to work a walk and load the bases. Bergdoll hit a hard ground ball that snuck by the second baseman and drove in Dybacz from third to give the Dolphins a 1-0 lead.

Bennett worked around a leadoff double in the bottom of the frame and got out of the first inning unscathed.

Rinaldi fell behind 0-2 to lead off the top of the second, but then held off on four straight balls to draw a walk. Freshman shortstop Alayna Bush (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) then worked a four-pitch walk to give Le Moyne runners on first and second with zero outs. PNW starting pitcher Gabby Paliska was able to get three consecutive outs against the top of Le Moyne's order to end the inning and keep the Pride's deficit at 1-0.

Purdue Northwest took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second with three hits against Bennett.

Larobardiere drew a walk on a 3-2 count to lead off the top of the third, then Linn came in as a pinch runner. Linn's speed was not needed to score in this situation, as Bergdoll smashed a fastball over the center field fence during the next at bat to drive in two runs and give the 'Phins a 3-2 advantage.

Bennett continued to pound the zone and shut down the Pride with a 1-2-3 inning during the bottom of the third, then Le Moyne opened up a 7-2 lead in the fourth.

Dybacz smashed an off speed pitch at the second baseman and reached safely to lead off the fourth inning, then Benderski hit a line drive towards the center fielder. The fielder made an effort to catch the ball, but it dropped in front of her then rolled past her towards the fence. Dybacz scored from first on the play, and Benderski strode into second base.

Larobardiere worked another full count during the next at bat, then fouled off two good pitches before hammering the ball into right field for a base hit.

With runners on first and third, Bergdoll drove a fastball over the shortstop's head into the left-center field gap. Both runners scored on the play, and Bergdoll reached third base standing up for a triple.

With two outs in the inning, Rinaldi delivered a single through the right side to drive in Bergdoll and make it 7-2 in favor of the Dolphins.

Purdue Northwest added a run in the bottom of the fourth, then another in the fifth to trim their deficit to 7-4.

The 'Phins were unable to put a runner in scoring position during the sixth and seventh innings, then the Pride made their final attempt to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Myah Stuckey delivered a leadoff single, then Aubrey Shroyer reached on an error. Bennett then got two consecutive fly balls to the outfield for the first two outs of the inning, then both runners scored on RBI hits from Selena Michko and Madison Schultz. Bennett then got a fly ball to end the game and earn her second win of the afternoon.

With the wins, the 'Phins improve their record to 8-9, including 6-4 at the Spring Games.

The Dolphins will play their final two games of the Florida trip on Saturday. They will take on Hillsdale College at 10:00 a.m., then Salem University in the afternoon.