Teaneck, N.J. – The Le Moyne College softball team kicked off their three-game conference series on the road against FDU on Friday afternoon. The Dolphins split their doubleheader falling 8-0 in game one before taking game two, 7-1, and now sit with a 12-24 record overall while going 4-10 in conference play. 

Game 1:
Le Moyne's freshman starter Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) worked a clean first three innings with one strikeout in game one before the Knights struck for three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth.

After a leadoff walk was followed by a single, catcher Rebecca Merkes came to the plate and drove in the lead runner, DP Ayden Stone, with a double to left center to give FDU the lead. The double was immediately followed by an RBI single off the bat of third baseman Angela Costa before left fielder Mikayla Conklin reached on a fielder's choice to bring in the team's third run later in the inning.

After a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, the Knights struck for their final five runs and ended the game in their half of the inning as back-to-back singles and a walk led off the frame for FDU. A sac fly from Stone and walk to Merkes accounted for the team's fourth and fifth runs of the game before freshman Danni Simpson (Marrieta, Ga./Sprayberry) was tabbed to appear in relief for the Dolphins.

Back-back-back bases loaded walks allowed by Simpson brought in FDU's next two runs before junior Rose Nicastro (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) came in for Le Moyne and walked the first batter she faced, allowing the Knights to reach eight runs and the run rule, ending the game early. 

Senior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) and sophomore left fielder Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) accounted for the 'Phins lone hits in game one. 

Game 2:
Le Moyne reached the scoreboard first in the second leg of Friday's doubleheader as a leadoff walk by sophomore shortstop Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) and single off the bat of senior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) got two runners on base for the heart of the Dolphins order. Two batters later, sophomore DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) singled up the middle driving in both runners and giving the squad a 2-0 lead early. 

Freshman starter Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship) struck out three Knights before allowing her first hit in the bottom of the third and FDU was able to put together a run in the following inning. A sac fly to right field off the bat of right fielder Erika Barela drove in first baseman Kailee O'Sullivan who walked to leadoff the frame.

The Dolphins put together four runs on as many hits in the top of the sixth as senior center fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), Exarchakis, and freshman third baseman Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) hit back-to-back-to-back singles up the middle with Nesci scoring on the final one. Junior first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) then followed with a fourth consecutive single up the middle to drive in the two runners and give the Dolphins a 5-1 lead. Benderski's pinch runner, freshman utility player Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) came around to score on an infield grounder from Zarcone. 

The squad added their final run in the top of the seventh as Nesci singled through the right side to score junior Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) who got on as a pinch runner after a Gavigan single up the middle. Ross shut down the Knights in the bottom of the inning to secure the complete game victory in game two. 

Benamati led the Dolphins with three hits in game two while Exarchakis and Benderski each added a pair of RBI in the win. Seven different players accounted for the team's runs in the game. 

Ross earned the victory for Le Moyne, allowing just one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four in a complete seven innings in the circle. 

What's Next:
Le Moyne will round out the series against FDU tomorrow afternoon with game three set with a noon start time.