Manchester, N.H. – The Le Moyne College softball team (11-14, 0-4 NE10) lost both games of their Monday afternoon conference doubleheader at Saint Anselm College (13-9, 3-3 NE10).

In game one, The Hawks prevailed 1-0 in a pitcher's duel between Le Moyne redshirt-junior right-hander Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) and Saint Anselm junior righty Haile Hicks.

Saint Anselm scored their go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth, and Hicks allowed just four hits with 14 strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched to improve her record to 9-2 this season.

The Hawks opened up a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth during the second half of the doubleheader, then scored five more runs the following inning to end the game in the fifth.

Game One:
Bennett did not allow a Saint Anselm runner in scoring position during the first two innings, then sophomore second baseman Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) led off the top of the third for Le Moyne with a bunt single. With one out in the inning, senior center fielder Isabelle Boudreau (Memramcook, New Brunswick/Mathieu-Martin/Pace) moved Rinaldi into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt to the right side of the infield. During the next at bat, Dybacz hit a line drive to the right of Hicks, but the Saint Anselm hurler snagged the line drive to end the inning.

Saint Anselm put a runner on second base with one out in the bottom of the third, but Bennett got an infield pop up and a ground ball to the shortstop to strand the runner.

Senior first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) ripped a single past the shortstop to lead off the top of the fourth for the Dolphins, but Hicks struck out the next two batters, then Saint Anselm catcher Alyssa Wironen caught the pinch runner trying to steal second base to end the inning.

Saint Anselm second baseman Kylie Fitzpatrick singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, then first baseman Sam Wiberg drove her in with a double to right-center field.

The Dolphins were unable to put a runner on base during the sixth or seventh innings.
 
Game Two:
The Hawks scored three runs in the top of the second inning with the help of a three-RBI double from third baseman Gracie O'Hara.
Le Moyne got a run back in the top of the third on a solo home run from Dybacz, her third of the season. Dybacz fell behind 1-2 to Saint Anselm pitcher Sophia DiPippo, then fouled off two pitches and watched two balls before hammering the 3-2 pitch well over the fence in left-center field.

Saint Anselm added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the Dolphins chipped away at their deficit in the top of the fifth.

First-year shortstop Alayna Bush (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) reached on a bunt to lead off the fifth inning, then Boudreau dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Bush into scoring position. Bush advanced to third on a passed ball, then Dybacz drew a walk to put runners on first and third with one out.

Bergdoll stepped to the plate next and hammered a 1-2 pitch into left field for a base hit to drive in Bush.

Larobardiere took a first pitch strike during the next at bat before smashing an 0-1 fastball over the right fielder's head. Dybacz rounded third and scored on the play to trim Le Moyne's deficit to 6-3.

DiPippo got a fly ball to right field and an infield pop up to end the inning and prevent further damage.

Saint Anselm recorded four hits and five runs in the bottom of the fifth to give themselves an eight-run lead and end the game.

The Le Moyne College softball team will play another doubleheader on Sunday at Southern New Hampshire University at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.