Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team (9-22, 2-7 NEC) hosted Niagara University (11-14, 3-3 MAAC) for a doubleheader on Sunday at the Le Moyne College Softball Complex. The Dolphins split losing the first game 8-7 in 8-inning's and won the second game 12-6.
 
"Our team is absolutely battling" said head coach Tracey Roman. "I'm so proud of how hard we fight; particularly when the chips are down. As a coach, what more can you ask for?  We knew coming into this transition year that wins would not come easily but we show up every day and welcome the challenge. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose but we never give up and we don't make it easy for anyone. There is no greater success than the discipline and relentless spirit our team brings every time we take the field. I'm proud to be their coach."
 
First Game:
The Dolphins started out strong in the first inning with two homerun's starting with the lead-off hitter, junior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / Charles W. Baker) to left field (1-0), and the third batter, sophomore designated player Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn. / Spring Lake Park) also to left field (2-0).
 
The Purple Eagles' Sela Moyer landed herself on first off a single to left field. Moyer then advanced to third by a double to right center from Natasha Limbani. Moyer would then score off a sacrifice fly out to centerfield by Hailey Cenname (1-2) adding a run to the board, while Limbani advanced to third, but would be left on base after the next at-bat.
 
Niagara added another run during the third starting off with a bunt single from Maggie Kellner. Brianna Delaney then singled to left field while Kellner advanced to second. Kellner added a run to the board off a single from Shayna Myshrall to right field tying the game at two runs each.
 
It wasn't until the fifth where Delaney doubled to center landing her on second. Samantha Hare then doubled to right field bringing home Delaney (3-2). Bayleigh McCullough entered the game to pinch run for Hare at second. Limbani then doubled bringing home McCullough and gave the Purple Eagles a two run lead.
 
In the top of the sixth, Niagara added one more run to the board. Sophia Marrero doubled to left field and Delaney followed by doubling to center field bringing home Marrero (5-2).
 
The Dolphins fought back in the bottom of the sixth with Benderski starting off the momentum hitting a single to first base. Sophomore infielder Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y. / Plainedge) entered the game to pinch run for Benderski at first. Redshirt junior Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse/ Onondaga C.C.) then homered to right bringing home Linn (4-5). Graduate first baseman Mckenzie Bergdoll (Attleboro, Mass. / Attleboro) singled to the pitcher and advanced to second off a throwing error by the pitcher. Sophomore outfielder Emilee Gallagher (New Windsor, N.Y. / Newburgh Free Academy) entered the game to pinch run for Bergdoll at second. Redshirt junior second baseman Brooke Nicolaos (Liverpool, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse) then doubled off a pinch hit for Zarcone, bringing home Gallagher to tie the game at five runs each.
 
With the game entering extra innings, Marrero added a run right at the top of the eighth (6-5). Delaney doubled to center and then scored off Myshrall's double directly after giving the Purple Eagles a two run lead. Myshrall then advanced to third off a ground out and scored off a wild pitch solidifying the lead with three runs over the Dolphins.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, graduate student Brandi Feeney (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Saint Peter's) singled to right field landing her on first. Freshman outfielder Kara Bacon (Warrensburg, N.Y. / Warrensburg) entered the game to pinch run for Feeney at first base. Freshman left fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) singled to left field as Bacon advanced to second. Freshman second baseman Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown East) reached on a fielder's choice to the pitcher, as Nesci advanced to second but Bacon would be tagged at third. Sophomore catcher Alexandra Chesney (Malverne, N.Y. / Sacred Heart) entered to pinch hit and singled to left bringing home Nesci and Zarcone advanced to second (6-8). Dybacz drew a walk to get bases loaded for Rinaldi. Rinaldi singled up the middle bringing home Zarcone while Chesney advanced to third but would be tagged out at third ending the game at 8-7 with the Purple Eagles taking home the win.
 
Second Game:
 
Le Moyne came out strong again in the bottom of the first off a triple from Dybacz into right field. Dybacz then scored off a fielding error by the shortstop which Rinaldi reached first on (1-0). Larobardiere landed herself on first by drawing a walk and freshman pitcher Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y. / Monore-Woodbury) singled bringing home Rinaldi and moved Larobardiere to second (2-0). Junior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y. / Long Beach) doubled to right field with Larobardiere scoring a run and Exarchakis advancing to third and scoring on the throw (4-0).
 
In the top of the second, Limbani singled to center landing her on first. Jolyn Gibbons then drew a walk and Limbani advanced to second. Kaylee Haines was then hit by a pitch also landing her on base causing bases to be loaded. McCullough drew a walk adding their first run to the board by sending Limbani home (1-4). Marerro then brought in another run by singling to left which Gibbons scored on (2-4).
 
The Dolphins' Zarcone tripled to right field to start off the bottom half of the second inning. Dybacz and Rinaldi both followed by drawing walks loading the bases for Benderski. Benderski also drew a walk bringing home Zarcone (5-2). Gallagher pinch ran for Benderski at first. Larobardiere drew the fourth walk bringing home Dybacz (6-2).
 
Niagara added another run during the third with a lead-off homerun from Myshrall bringing the score to (3-6). At the top of the third, Marrero singled up the middle, and Delaney singled to right moving Marrero to second. Myshrall then singled to left and Delaney advanced to second, and Marrero put herself in scoring position at third. Limbardi then singled to right as Marrero scored. (5-6). Gibbons also singled and advanced to second on the throw while Myshrall scored tying the game at six runs.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Kassap was hit by a pitch and Linn entered to pinch run for her at first. Nesci singled to left as Linn advanced to second. Dybacz hit a double into right field bringing home Linn as Nesci advanced to third (7-6). Benderski then tripled into right as Dybacz and Nesci scored (9-6).
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Bergdoll singled up the middle and Bacon entered to pinch run at first. Exarchakis singled to center while Bacon advanced to second and freshman second baseman Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa. / Haverford) entered to pinch run for Exarchakis. With two people on base, Kassap hit a sacrifice bunt and reached on a throwing error by the first baseman. Bacon advanced to third and scored off the error and Gavigan reached third on the error (10-6). Nesci would then single through the left and advance to second off a fielding error. Kassap would advance to second and third off the error while Gavigan would score (11-6). For the final run of the game, Zarcome flied into a double play while Kassap scored taking home the win with a score of 12-6.
 
The Dolphin's next game will be a conference home series starting on Wednesday, April 10^th at 1pm against FDU at the Le Moyne College Softball Complex.