Le Moyne (10-21, 2-7) vs. LIU (16-17, 10-2) - NEC
Info: Saturday & Sunday, Apr. 12-13 | Syracuse, N.Y. | Softball Complex
Video: NEC Front Row (http://necfrontrow.com/game/13375)
Live Stats: https://lemoynedolphins.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary

Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team is set to host LIU in a three-game conference series at the Softball Complex this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 12 and 13. The Dolphins will kick off the series with a doubleheader against the Sharks on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. before wrapping up the set with one game on Sunday at noon. 

Series History:
The Dolphins are 0-3 against LIU all-time as their 2024 three-game NEC set marked the only prior meeting in program histories. In the set which concluded Le Moyne's regular season, LIU earned a win in game one on May 3, 3-1, before taking both legs of the series-ending doubleheader, 8-0 and 6-3, the following day. 

In game one last season, current sophomore DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) drove in the squad's only run, a double to right center which drove in fellow sophomore utility player Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East). 

In the series finale, Exarchakis and sophomore outfielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) both hit solo homeruns while current senior outfielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) drove in a run on a sac fly. 

Dolphins' Season:
Le Moyne sits with a 10-21 overall record this season after going 7-13 in four weekend tournaments to kick off the year from Feb. 7 to Mar. 9. Since NEC action began on Saturday, Mar. 15, the squad has gone 1-5 in a pair of conference series and 1-1 in non-conference matchups.

The Dolphins went 1-2 in their first three-game conference set of the season on the road against Central Connecticut State on Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 15-16. The squad earned their first conference victory in game three of the series, winning 4-3, before being swept in three games against Saint Francis the following weekend, Friday-Sunday, Mar. 21-23, and dropping their home opener to Syracuse, 6-0, on Wednesday, Mar. 26. 

Over the past week, Le Moyne shut out Niagara, 9-0, in five innings in a home non-conference game on Thursday, Apr. 3, before going 1-2 on the road against NEC foe Wagner this past weekend. 

Freshman third baseman Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) was named an NEC Prime Performer for her showing last week, as she went 4-12 at the plate, slashing .333/.429/.667 with one double, one homerun, two walks, eight total bases, five RBI, and a pair of runs scored in the team's four games. In 30 appearances this season, Benamati leads the squad in OPS (.964), slugging percentage (.566), and home runs (five) while sitting second in RBI (16), total bases (43), and walks (12) with a .303 batting average, 23 hits, and five doubles.

Exarchakis led the squad with a .500 batting average last week, going 4-8 with a pair of doubles, six total bases, five walks, two RBI and two runs scored, slashing .500/.571/.750. In 30 starts this year, She has recorded a .755 OPS with 23 hits, six doubles, and a team-high 15 walks leading to a .392 on-base rate.

Dybacz led the squad with five hits  over the 'Phins last four games, slashing .385/.467/.538 with seven total bases, two walks, four RBI, and a pair of runs scored at the plate and a 1.000 fielding percentage last week. She leads the team with a .320 batting average, 31 hits, 11 doubles, 45 total bases and sits top-three with an .849 OPS, .464 slug rate, .385 on-base percentage, 16 runs scored, and 16 RBI while starting in all 31 team games in 2025. 

In the circle, freshman Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) went 1-1 in two starts and one relief appearance last week. She worked to a 3.94 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched, allowing six runs on 14 hits and two walks while striking out five, including 3.0 innings in the start during Le Moyne's 9-0 shutout versus Niagara. Kwashek has tallied a 4.60 ERA in 13 starts and 11 relief appearances this season with a 1.90 WHIP with three complete games in 67.0 innings this season.

Freshman Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship) started one game and came in relief in a pair of matchups last week, going 1-0 with a 2.74 ERA, allowing three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out three iver 7.2 innings. She has thrown a team-leading 87.0 innings pitched over 13 starts and 10 relief appearances while pitching to a 5.39 ERA and 1.72 WHIP with three complete games, one save, and a team-best 57 strikeouts this season. 

A Look at the Sharks:
LIU has played to a 16-17 overall record this season, while going 10-2 and sitting atop the conference standings through four NEC sets. 

The Sharks opened the year going 4-15 in four early-season tournaments from Feb. 7-Mar. 9, grabbing their wins against Niagara (twice), Indiana State, and Siena during that period.

Since then, LIU swept Niagara in a separate doubleheader on Monday, Mar. 10 before kicking off NEC action at home against FDU on Saturday, Mar. 15. The squad took game one of the series, 10-2 in six innings, before dropping both games to end the set. 

The Sharks have gone undefeated since their series against FDU, with sweeps coming against Stonehill and Mercyhurst on the road and, most recently, Saint Francis at home this past weekend.

In limited playing time this season, graduate outfielder Dallas Andrews leads the team with a 1.455 OPS and .577 batting average through nine starts. She has gone 15-26 at the plate with three doubles, one homerun, 21 total bases, seven walks, six RBI, and nine runs scored for LIU.

Through 23 starts, senior infielder Alyssa Polemeni has slashed .329/.417/.743 with 23 hits, five doubles, a team-leading eight homeruns and 27 RBI with 52 total bases, 10 walks, and 20 runs scored. 

Sophomore outfielder Lily Hinkle has started all 33 team games this season, working to a 1.010 OPS and .337 batting average. Hinkle has tallied a team-leading 32 hits with three doubles, three triples, three homeruns, 50 total bases, 25 walks, 24 RBI, and 29 runs scored. 

On the pitching side, sophomore Sophia Mariottini has started a team-high 11 games with another six relief appearances, totaling 79.0 innings pitched. She has registered a 4.96 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and one complete game so far this year. 

What's Next:
Le Moyne will travel to the state capital to take on UAlbany (15-16, 5-2) in a mid-week non-conference doubleheader next Wednesday, Apr. 16 with 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. start times.