North Andover, Mass. – The Le Moyne College softball team competed in their second conference series with a matchup against Merrimack College. The Dolphins took home their first conference win against the Warriors 8-6 on Thursday afternoon.

"I'm really proud of this win for our team" said head coach Tracey Roman. "It was an absolute emotional battle and total team effort. Our hitters made fantastic adjustments at the plate with three completely different pitchers. We weren't making those critical adjustments a few weeks ago so I'm really happy with the growth I'm seeing. We showed a lot of character coming from behind and tying the game sending it to extras. Manufacturing those runs late in the game was just icing on the cake. Laura worked very hard to hold them off and persevered on a day that I know she wasn't working with her best stuff. That's what mentally tough pitchers do. Merrimack is a good team and we have to be ready to battle again two more times tomorrow."
 
It wasn't until the top of the second where Le Moyne added a run to the board. Redshirt junior Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse/ Onondaga C.C.) doubled to center field to start things off. Sophomore shortstop Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y. / Plainedge) came in to pinch run for Larobardiere at second. Freshman left-fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) singled to left and advanced to second while Linn made it home (1-0).
 
The Warriors tied up the game during the third inning starting with Sofia Palyan getting hit by a pitch. Alex Miller then singled while Palyan advanced to second. Madi Gibeault came in to pinch run for Palyan while Ellen Hubbard singled sending Miller to second and Gibeault to third. Courtney Lanpher then hit a sacrifice fly out to right field which brought in Gibeault (1-1).
 
Merrimack added two more runs in the fifth starting out by Hubbard hitting a single to center. Madison Cerpa doubled to center bringing home Hubbard (1-2). Directly after, Madeline Arvai reached first on an error by third base then advanced to second and Cerpa scored (1-3).
 
The Dolphins quickly responded with a walk for junior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / Charles W. Baker). Dybacz then advanced to second and third off two teammates back-to-back ground outs. Sophomore designated player Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) hit a single into center field bringing Dybacz home. Sophomore right fielder Emilee Gallagher (New Windsor, N.Y. / Newburgh Free Academy) entered the game to pinch run for Benderski at first. Larobardiere walked advancing Gallagher to second. Freshman third baseman Molly Wolf (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) then entered to pinch run for Larobardiere at first while Nesci was up to bat. Nesci then hit a single down the right field line while Wolf advanced to third and Gallagher scored tying the game at 3 runs.
 
The game went into extra innings until the top of the nineth. Graduate catcher Brandi Feeney (Cicero, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse / Saint Peter's) started the momentum by hitting a single to center field. Sophomore UTL Alayna Bush (Adams, N.Y. / South Jefferson) entered the game to pinch run for Feeney at first. Redshirt junior Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse) sacrificed a ground out while Bush advanced to second. While graduate left fielder Jillian Dunn (Fiskdale, Mass. / Tantasqua Regional) was up to bat, Bush stole third and Dunn eventually was walked. Similarly, while Dybacz was up to bat, Dunn stole second. Dybacz then singled to left and advanced to second while Bush scored (4-3) and Dunn advanced to third. Freshman Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown East) pinch ran for Dunn at third due to an injury before junior second baseman Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, NY/Sayville) hit a single landing her on first with bases loaded. First baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass./Attleboro) was walked sending Zarcone home (5-3), moving Dybacz to third and Rinaldi to second. Benderski was then also walked sending home Dybacz (6-3) and moving Rinaldi to third, and Bergdoll to second. Nesci reached first off an error by left field which brought home both Bergdoll and Rinaldi (8-3) and Benderski advanced to second. That would be the last run scored for Le Moyne for the game.
 
Merrimack responded with a single from Miller and another single from Hubbard leaving them on first and second. Lanpher then tripled to left field bringing home Hubbard and Miller (8-5). Cerpa was then walked and Arvai singled bringing home Lanpher (8-6), but that would be the last run for the Warriors.
 
The Dolphin's will continue their series at Merrimack College tomorrow Friday, March 22 with a doubleheader at 12pm and 2pm at Martone-Mejail Field – North Andover, Mass.