Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team wrapped up their season series at home against LIU on Sunday afternoon, falling in both legs of the doubleheader. The Dolphins dropped game one, 9-7, before coming away with a 17-5 loss in five innings in game two. The squad now sits 11-23 overall and 3-9 in NEC play this season.

Game 1:
Le Moyne's freshman starter Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) started the action by striking out a pair of Sharks in the top of the first, giving way for the 'Phins offense to tack on two runs in their half of the inning. 

Senior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) reached on a fielding error to short before sophomore center fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) singled through the left side to put a pair of runners on base. The next batter, sophomore DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) reached on a fielder's choice which loaded the bases for the team just ahead of freshman third baseman Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) who singled to right field to drive in Dybacz. Later in the inning, senior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) singled to third base allowing Nesci to score and putting the Dolphins up, 2-0, early. 

LIU tied the game at two in the top of the third inning as left fielder Lily Hinkle walked and center fielder Dallas Andrews reached on a fielder's choice before third baseman Alyssa Polemeni singled to left, scoring the lead runner while the second came across to score on the throw.

Le Moyne jumped back out to a two-run lead immediately in their half of the inning as junior first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) hit a solo home run over the center field wall early in the frame and sophomore shortstop Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) singled up the middle to drive in freshman pinch runner Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) who got on base in relief of Kassap who worked a walk. 

The Sharks did most of their damage in the top of the fourth as they scored six runs on seven hits in the frame. A single from catcher Jaedyn Lincoln drove in right fielder Devon Medina who worked an infield single earlier in the inning before Hinkle scored two on a double to center field. Up 5-4, LIU kept the rally going as Andrews singled to score Hinkle before Polemeni hit a two-run shot over the right field wall. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Le Moyne added three runs to make the score 8-7, as Benamati singled to left and advanced on a wild pitch before Benderski drove her in on a double to right center. Two batters later, sophomore pinch hitter Molly Wolf (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) doubled to center field, allowing Benderski's pinch runner, sophomore Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East), to cross the plate. Later in the inning, Gavigan hit a sac fly to left field to bring Kassap across the plate. 

The final run of the game came in the top of the sixth as LIU lengthened their lead to two runs as Polemeni hit a sac fly to center field off freshman Danni Simpson (Marietta, Ga./Sprayberry) which scored DP Alyssa Garcia who reached on a leadoff single earlier in the inning. 

Le Moyne was unable to capitalize in the final two innings and fell, 9-7, in game one.

Benderski led the offense with three hits, including a pair of doubles and one home run, and tied Gavigan for the team-lead with two RBI in the loss. Six Dolphins recorded multi-hit games against the Sharks in game one. 

In the circle, Kwashek's final line was 4.2 innings of eight-run ball in which she allowed 12 hits and two walks while striking out three. Simpson allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one in 1.2 innings. Freshman Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship) tossed the final inning for Le Moyne, tallying zeroes across the statline. 

Game 2:
LIU scored almost immediately in the second leg of the doubleheader as HInkle worked a walk to lead off the game two batters prior to a two-run home run to right center off the bat of Andrews. The Sharks added one more run later in the inning as Lincoln hit a sac fly to center to score Polemeni from third base.

Le Moyne's starter, Ross, got into trouble again in the second inning as LIU put together a seven-run effort on six hits and one error. Back-to-back singles from Polemeni and shortstop Kaylee Clarkson scored two runs before a three-run homerun from first baseman Jen Rodriguez cleared the bases and gave the team an early 8-0 lead. Later in the inning, after Simpson appeared in relief for the 'Phins, Hinkle reached on an error which allowed both Lincoln and Medina to cross the plate. 

The Dolphins got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning as an early-inning double to left center from Benderski paved the way for Kassap to reach on an error by the center fielder on the same play in which sophomore pinch runner Kara Bacon (Warrensburg, N.Y./Warrensburg) to reach home safely. Kassap came around to score two batters later as her and Zarcone both reached safely on a double steal of second base and home plate. 

A walk to Polemeni and consecutive singles to Clarkson and Rodriguez which drove in a run led to another pitching change for Le Moyne as junior Rose Nicastro (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) was tabbed to appear for the Dolphins. The following batter, Lincoln, singled to left to score Clarkson before back-to-back RBI singles from second baseman Priscilla Gillies and Hinkle gave the Sharks a 14-2 lead in the top of the third. 

A leadoff double to center from Zarocone, triple to right center from Wolf, and single up the middle off the bat of Gavigan In the bottom of the fourth scored another pair of runs for Le Moyne as they attempted to lessen their deficit. 

LIU added their final three runs in the top of the fifth as an error in the field allowed Andrews to reach first and Hinkle to score before Polemeni doubled to center field to drive in DP Nyae' Dick. Kwashek came in relief of Nicastro later in the inning as the first batter she faced, Clarkson, reached first on an error which allowed Andrews to score.

Down by 13 facing the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, the Dolphins were able to tack on one final run as Benamati hit a solo homer to left field. They were unable to mount a comeback, however, and fell, 17-5, against the NEC's top-seeded LIU. 

Zarcone led on offense, going 2-2 at the plate with one double, one walk, one stolen base, and one run scored.

What's Next:
Le Moyne will travel to UAlbany to take on the Great Danes in a mid-week non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, Apr. 16 with start times of 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.