Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team (8-19, 2-6 NEC) lost the first two games of their conference series against Central Connecticut State University (15-8, 4-4 NEC) on Friday. The doubleheader today also marked the Dolphins home opener at Le Moyne College's Softball Complex.
 
In game one, The Blue Devils kept the Dolphins without runs to finish the game 6-0.
 
In game two, The Blue Devils were up by three as the Dolphins then scored six runs in the second to take the lead. Central Connecticut State University responded with five runs in the fourth to pull the lead from the Dolphins by two. The Blue Devils prevailed by keeping the lead until the end finishing the game 14-10.
 
First Game:
Central Connecticut State University started off the first inning with Reagan Vunak drawing a walk with one out on the board. With two outs down, Ava Cino brought home Vunak with a double to center field (1-0).
 
Junior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / Charles W. Baker) lead off for the Dolphins hitting a single to land her on first. Dybacz then advanced to second off a wild pitch and advanced to third off a fly out. She would ultimately be left on base with back-to-back outs that followed.
 
It wasn't until the top of the sixth where Paige Stringer singled to shortstop landing her on first.. Cino delivered with a homerun bringing in Stringer to give the Blue Devils a 3-0 lead.
 
With one out down, Brooke Fedison singled to shortstop and directly after that, Meg Gorman singled to left field while Fedison advanced to second. Gorman advanced to second and Fedison advanced to third off a ground out putting Fedison in position to score. Stringer then singled through the left side and advanced to second on the throw while Gorman and Fedison both scored (5-0). To capitalize on the lead, Cino singled to second while Stringer scored making it 6-0.
 
At the bottom of the seventh, sophomore designated player Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn. / Spring Lake Park) doubled to center field to get on base for the Dolphins. Sophomore right fielder Emilee Gallagher (New Windsor, N.Y. / Newburgh Free Academy) entered the game to pinch run for Benderski at second. Redshirt junior Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse / Onondaga C.C.) singled into center field while Gallagher advanced to third and headed towards home but would be tagged at home plate finishing the game.

 
Second Game:
To start off the second game, Gorman drew a walk to get the Blue Devils on base. During Vunak's at bat, Gorman advanced to second off a wild pitch. Stringer then grounded out at first while Gorman rounded third base and reached home (1-0).
 
The Dolphins put their first run of the day on the board following a single from Dybacz to shortstop. Junior second baseman Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, NY / Sayville) reached on a fielder's choice to third base, but Dybacz would be tagged at second. With Rinaldi on first, Larobardiere singled to left as Rinaldi advanced to second. Benderski singled to right center and was tagged out at second while Larobardiere advanced to third and Rinaldi scored tying the game at 1.
 
At the top of the second with one out, Grace Lawton struck out swinging but reached first on a wild pitch. Jazmin Lasane then doubled to left center and Lawton advanced to third putting her in scoring position. Fedison brought home both Lawton and Lasane by sending a double to center field (4-1).
 
Le Moyne turned things around in the second with graduate first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass. / Attleboro) drawing a walk. Bergdoll then advanced to second off a single from junior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y. / Long Beach). Freshman outfielder Kara Bacon (Warrensburg, N.Y. / Warrensburg) entered the game to pinch run for Bergdoll at second.

Sophomore catcher Alexandra Chesney (Malverne, N.Y. / Sacred Heart) was up to bat to pinch hit for sophomore left-fielder Alayna Bush (Adams, N.Y. / South Jefferson) as she singled to left field bringing home Bacon and Kassap advanced to second. Bush re-entered for Chesney as Dybacz singled to left while Bush advanced to second and Kassap advanced to third (4-2). Kassap then scored off a sacrifice fly out from Rinaldi which also gave Bush the opportunity to advance to third (4-3). With no outs, Larobardiere singled to left and brought home Bush while Dybacz advanced to second tying the game at 4.
 
Freshman third baseman Molly Wolf (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) entered the game for Larobardiere to pinch run at first. With a walk from Benderski, bases were loaded. Freshman pitcher Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y. / Monore-Woodbury) gave the Dolphins their first lead of the day as she doubled to left bringing home Wolf and Dybacz, while Benderski got herself in scoring position at third (6-4). Gallagher entered to pinch run for Exarchakis at second, and advanced to third off a ground out which Benderski scored on (7-4).
 
No runs were made until the top of the fourth where the Blue Devils regained their lead. Kristina Bozek singled to shortstop to start off. Fedison drew a walk while Bozek advanced to second. Shortly, bases were loaded as Gorman was hit by a pitch and Bozek advanced to third, and Fedison advanced to second. Another run was added to the board as Vunak drew a walk sending home Bozek (7-5). Stringer then flied out to right field and Fedison scored while Gorman advanced to third (7-6). Cino reached on a fielders choice as Vunak advanced to second. With two outs, Lawton doubled to left bringing home Cino, Vunak, and Gorman bringing back the lead for the Blue Devils 9-7.
 
In the top of the sixth, Stringer singled to second to land on first base. To add another two runs to their lead, Cino homered bringing home Stringer (11-7).
 
Le Moyne responded at the bottom of the sixth, with a bunt from Rinaldi landing her on first. Larobardiere re-entered at third to then reach on a fielder's choice to second base while Rinaldi was out at second for an interference. Benderski capitalized as she singled and advanced to second on a fielding error by the right fielder and advanced to third on the error. Larobardiere advanced to second and scored off the error (11-8). To bring in another run, freshman infielder Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown,, N.Y. / Smithtown East) doubled down the left field line as Benderski scored (11-9). Freshman center-fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse) reached first off a muffed throw by first base, assisted by third base and Zarcone scored off the error (11-10).
 
In the top of the seventh, Fedison homered bringing the score to 12-10. Vunak singled and Stringer homered which would end up being the last run of the game finalizing it at 14-10.

The Dolphin's next game will be the last game of their home series against Central Connecticut State University tomorrow Saturday, March 30^th at 12pm at the Le Moyne College Softball Complex.