Rock Hill, S.C. – The Le Moyne College softball team opened day one of the 2025 Winthrop University Garnet and Gold Tournament with back-to-back games against St. John's and host Winthrop on Friday afternoon. The Red Storm came away with a five-inning, 12-3 victory in game one before the Eagles downed the Dolphins, 3-1, in a full game two.
Game 1:
St. John's came out of the gate and struck early as center fielder Jess Bianco led off the top of the first with a single to third base before stealing second and advancing to third on a groundout in the following at bat. A single to center field by shortstop London Jarrard scored Bianco and the Red Storm were able to scrape one more run across in the inning following three consecutive hit batters by 'Phins freshman starting pitcher Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford).
Following a quiet bottom of the frame, St. John's put together a huge rally in the top of the second to bring eight runs around to score. Right fielder Ellana Lysiak, Bianco, and third baseman Madison Konopka filled the bases to start the inning with a walk and two infield singles before Jarrard singled through the left side and advanced to second on a throwing error, allowing Bianco and Lysiak to score. One batter later, left fielder Cassidy Stouffer singled to right center to drive in Konopka, giving the Red Storm a 5-0 lead with no outs in the inning.
After two straight outs nearly got Le Moyne through the inning, first baseman Melanie Santos singled to left field to bring Jarrard and Stouffer around to score. An infield single by second baseman Natalie Casto then brought up Lysiak who slapped a base hit to the pitching circle to bring Santos home. Bianco rounded out the scoring in the inning with a two-RBI double to left center that brought Casto and Lysiak around the bases, and putting St. John's up by 10.
Sophomore Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) came out to pitch for the Dolphins in the top of the third and hurled two shut-down innings before the Red Storm added their final two runs of the shortened game in the fifth. Pinch hitters Celia Macari and Sarah Post led off the inning with back-to-back outfield singles before Lysiak walked to load the bases. Rose Nicasto was tabbed to come in relief for Le Moyne, and allowed two runs to score on a walk to Bianco and groundout by Konopka, before ending the inning by inducing a flyout to center by Jarrard.
With their backs to the wall, the Dolphins found their way to the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning as three early inning walks by sophomore third baseman Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East), sophomore second baseman Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa./Haverford), and senior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Charles W. Baker) paved the way for senior shortstop Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) to drive in a run by also getting on base via the walk. Exarchakis put two more runs on the board with a two-RBI single up the middle that brought Dybacz and junior pinch-runner Alayna Bush (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) around to score. The Dolphins were unable to continue the rally and fell, 12-3, after five innings of play.
Game 2:
After a quick 1-2-3 top of the first, Winthrop came to bat and Le Moyne freshman starter Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship) allowed a walk to center fielder Emma Jackson before later hitting designated player Megan Powell and walking right fielder Tia Beckham to load the bases. Shortstop Grayson Buckner followed with a shot to right field and was able to reach first on an error by Dybacz, driving in Jackson and Powell to give the Eagles an early 2-0 lead.
The Dolphins were able to cut their deficit in half in the top of the third as sophomore left fielder Kara Bacon (Warrensburg, N.Y./Warrensburg) walked to lead-off the inning before Rinaldi moved her to second via a sac hit. Exarchakis was able to tally her third RBI of the day with a double to right center, bringing Bacon around to score.
Winthrop added the final run of the day via a solo homerun off the bat of Beckham in the top of the fifth. The shot gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead that they were able to hang on to due to back-to-back 1-2-3 innings from the Dolphins in the final two frames.
Ross threw a full six innings against Winthrop, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits while both striking out and walking four on 118 pitches.
What's Next:
Le Moyne (0-7) will get right back into action at Terry Field on Saturday morning, taking on Brown University (1-0) at 10:00 p.m. before moving to Field C to face off against Youngstown State (0-7) at 12:30 p.m.
