Newark, Del. – The Le Moyne College softball team opened up the Blue Hen Invitational with matchups against Bryant and host Delaware on Saturday. The Dolphins dropped game one against the Bulldogs, 19-11 in six innings before falling, 9-3, against the Blue Hens in game two.
Game 1:
Following a quiet top of the first inning offensively for the 'Phins, Bryant exploded for 13 runs on seven hits, five walks, and one hit batter along with two fielding errors by Le Moyne in the bottom half of the frame.
Freshman Tatum Nessman (Calgary, Alberta / National Sport School) was brought in to record the final out of the inning in relief of sophomore starter Danni Simpson (Marietta, Ga. / Sprayberry), and allowed a two-run double with another run coming in on an error before getting freshman shortstop Ella Kolenko to fly out to right field to end the frame.
The Dolphins began to claw back in the top of the next inning as senior first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) came around to score on a throwing error after singling to center to lead off the second. Junior third baseman Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East) added an RBI, driving in sophomore catcher Ava Todd (Savannah, N.Y. / Tyburn Academy) with a single to third base later in the inning.
Le Moyne added four more runs to lessen their deficit to seven runs in the top of the third as freshman left fielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) singled to center to lead off before being brought home two batters later on a single off the bat of junior DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury).
Later in the frame, Benderski connected on a three-run homer which drove in junior right fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) and Exarchkis' pinch runner, freshman Coral Enscoe (Webster, N.Y. / Bishop Kearney).
The Bulldogs re-extended their lead to 10 runs in the bottom of the inning, as sophomore Bryce third baseman Clendenin registered a sac fly to left field to drive in junior DP Laniya Lewis from third before Kolenko singled to left field to drive in graduate outfielder Amira Rainer who got on base via a walk.
The 'Phins added on their final five runs in the top of the fifth as back-to-back RBI doubles from freshman pinch hitter Elizabeth Gleghorn (West Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta) and Zarcone were followed by an RBI infield single off the bat of sophomore pinch hitter Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake).
Nesci doubled to center field two at-bats later, scoring Benamati and Dunkerley who singled to third base to bring the team within five runs, 16-11.
Bryant added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning as singles from Kolenko and junior outfielder Ginny Gex drove in a pair. The Bulldogs closed out the win with an RBI single off the bat of Clendenin in the bottom of the sixth.
Dunkerley led the Dolphins with a 3-4 day at the plate while scoring two runs. Benderski put up a team-high three RBI and also came around to score twice in the loss.
Game 2:
Le Moyne came out to an early 3-0 lead over Delaware in the top of the second inning as Benamati homered to center to drive in herself and Benderski who walked to get on base previously. Enscoe followed that up with a solo homerun to left center in the next at-bat for the Dolphins.
The Blue Hens took the lead in the bottom half of the frame as they loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a fielding error before senior shortstop Marlayna Capaldi grounded out to short, freshman center fielder Allie Nankivell singled to Le Moyne starter Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford), and senior second baseman Katie Scheivert singled up the middle in consecutive at-bats to plate four runners.
Delaware tacked on another pair of runs in the following inning as freshman third baseman Maddie Diamond walked and came around to score on a double to center off the bat of junior catcher Jamie Chandler before Chandler scored on a throwing error from third base. The team took a 7-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI groundout to short by senior DP Sydney Shaffer.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Hens drove in another run on an RBI single by Nankivell before finishing out their day offensively with freshman third baseman Caylin Balzys scoring on a fielding error in their half of the sixth.
The Dolphins were unable to work a comeback in the seventh and fell to the Blue Hens, 9-3, to close out day one of the invite.
Benamati went 2-3 with an RBI and one run scored while Enscoe's home run marked the other RBI and run scored for Le Moyne.
What's Next:
Le Moyne (1-9) will return to action tomorrow morning as they face off against Bryant at 10:00 a.m. before meeting Delaware for a second time at 3:00 p.m.
