Rock Hill, S.C. – The Le Moyne College softball team wrapped up their five-game set at the Winthrop Garnet & Gold Tournament on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins fell to St. John's, 9-0, in five innings in their second matchup of the weekend, sending them to 2-8 overall this season.
The Red Storm got off to a quick start offensively, adding one run to the scoreboard in the top of the first off Le Moyne freshman starter Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship). A leadoff walk by center fielder Jess Bianco and grounder from third baseman Madison Konopka that pushed the runner to third eventually led to an RBI single up the middle off the bat of shortstop London Jarrard.
In the top of the second, singles from first baseman Melanie Santos and right fielder Elanna Lysiak followed by a fielder's choice that allowed the batter to reach and loaded the bases for St. John's. Santos came around to score on a wild pitch before Jarrard singled to left field to drive in both Lysiak and Bianco, giving the Red Storm a 4-0 lead. The next batter, left fielder Cassidy Stouffer, reached on an error which allowed Jarrard to come around to score. Freshman Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) was tasked with coming in to relieve Ross and finished the inning.
St. John's added two more runs to take a 7-0 lead in the next frame as back-to-back doubles to leadoff the inning from second baseman Natalie Casto and Lysiak threatened to begin another rally. A wild pitch from Le Moyne's third pitcher of the day, junior Rose Nicastro (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas), allowed Lysiak to score later in the inning.
The final two runs of the day were brought around to score in the top of the fifth as the Red Storm put together a two-out rally beginning with a single to left field by Bianco. Konopka came to bat next and doubled to left field to score the runner before Jarrard singled to right to send Konopka to third. Konopka put St. John's up 9-0 as she scored on a throwing error during an attempted steal of second by Jerrard.
The Dolphins were unable to get things going offensively in the bottom of the inning as the game was cut short due to the run rule.
Ross threw 1.2 innings in the start for the Dolphins, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits, one walk, and one hit batter. Kwashek tossed 0.1 innings of two-run, two-hit ball while Nicastro finished the final three innings, surrendering two runs (one earned) on four hits, while striking out one.
Sophomore DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) registered Le Moyne's lone hit of the day, while senior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) reached on a walk in the second.
What's Next:
Le Moyne (2-8) will travel to Texas for a series of games in the UT San Antonio Invitational from Friday-Sunday, Feb. 28-Mar. 2.
