Staten Island, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team split their series-ending NEC doubleheader on the road against Wagner on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins took the first leg, 11-3, in just five innings before falling, 7-1, in a full seven inning set in game two. They now sit 10-21 overall and 2-7 in conference play this season.
Game 1:
Le Moyne scored almost immediately to kick off game one as sophomore shortstop Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) singled to left field before advancing to second and third on the play to lead off the first. Senior right fielder Alyssa Dybacz (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) drove her in with another single to left in the next at-bat to give the Dolphins a quick 1-0 lead.
The Seahawks tied the game up in the bottom of the frame as a pair of walks and a single from shortstop Payton Janicki loaded the bases before DP Taylor Reynolds hit a sac fly to left field off of Le Moyne's freshman starter Nevaeh Ross (Friendship, N.Y./Friendship).
The Dolphins retook the lead in the top of the third inning as back-to-back doubles from sophomore DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) and freshman third baseman Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) gave the squad another one-run advantage.
Senior catcher Elaina Kassap (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) led off the following inning with a solo homerun, her second of the season, to put the Dolphins up, 3-1. Le Moyne added another run later in the frame as a double to center off the bat of Dybacz scored Gavigan, who reached on a fielder's choice, all the way from first.
The bulk of Le Moyne's damage came in the top of the fifth as they scored seven runs on three hits and four walks. Benamati smashed a two-run homer early in the frame to give the team a 6-1 lead before junior first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) singled, Kassap walked, and junior left fielder Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior pinch hitter Alexandra Chesney (Malverne, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) came through with a single to right field to score the lead runner. During the following at-bat, all three base runners advanced on a wild pitch, scoring Kassap and giving the 'Phins a 8-1 advantage. Latr in the inning Dybacz reached on an error to plate a runner, sophomore center fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) forced in another run on a walk, and Exarchakis hit an RBI sac fly to right to put Le Moyne up by double-digits.
In the bottom of the fifth while facing the run-rule, Wagner added a pair of runs as a walk, hit batter, and single from Janicki loaded the bases before right fielder Lea Rachal singled to right field to bring the Seahawks back within eight runs. Junior Rose Nicastro (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) was tabbed to come in relief with two outs and after allowing a walk, struck out the final batter of the game as Le Moyne ended it early.
Offensively, Dybacz and Benamati led with two hits and three RBI apiece while Gavigan, Exarchakis, and Kassap each crossed the plate multiple times in the win.
Ross earned the win in the circle for Le Moyne, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out one in 4.2 innings pitched.
Game 2:
Following a quiet opening two frames on both sides, Wagner took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as freshman Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) came in relief of starter Nicastro for the Dolphins. A leadoff double from catcher Brityn Buchanan and single to short off the bat of Janicki led to an RBI sac fly from first baseman Geanice Morales before Janicki scored on a wild pitch.
The Seahawks went up by seven runs in the bottom of the fourth as second baseman Alayna Giampolo drove in a run on a single to right field just before Buchanan rounded the bases with a two-run homerun one batter later. Exarchakis was called to come in relief for Le Moyne, and Wagner plated their final two runs of the game on back-to-back bases-loaded walks later in the inning.
Down to their final at-bats, the Dolphins found the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh as Nesci, who reached on a fielder's choice and then advanced to second on a wild pitch early in the inning, came in to score on a single up the middle from Benamati. They were unable to capitalize and fell to the Seahawks, 7-1.
Dybacz and Nesci led the way on offense in game two, recording two hits each while Exarchakis got on due to a pair of walks, as well.
What's Next:
Le Moyne will host Binghamton University in a rescheduled doubleheader orginally slated for Tuesday, Apr. 1 at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 9.
