Le Moyne (5-19, 2-4 NEC) vs Saint Francis (1-27-1, 1-5 NEC)
Info: Sunday, Mar. 29 | 1:00 P.M. / 3:00 P.M. | Syracuse, N.Y. | Softball Complex
        Monday, Mar. 30 | 11:00 A.M. | Syracuse, N.Y. | Softball Complex
Watch: NEC Front Row (Sunday) | NEC Front Row (Monday)
Live Stats: http://www.lemoynedolphins.com/sidearmstats/softball/
SFU's Links: Schedule | Roster | News

Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team will host Saint Francis in their 2026 home-opening series at the Softball Complex this coming Sunday and Monday, Mar. 29-30. The Dolphins and Red Flash will play a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday before wrapping up the three-game set with one more matchup at 11:00 a.m. the following morning.

Season Summary:
Le Moyne has played to a 5-19 overall record with a 2-4 mark in NEC play so far in the 2026 season.

The squad opened the season at the Blue Hose Invitational with losses at the hands of Dayton (7-3) and Presbyterian (2-1) on Feb. 6 before coming out on top against Morehead State, 19-16, the following day. They closed out the weekend with a five inning 10-1 loss against Western Michigan on Feb. 8. 

From Feb. 13-14, the Dolphins traveled to compete in the Winthrop Garnet & Gold Tournament, and came away with losses against Robert Morris twice (12-4, 9-1), Winthrop (7-4), and Kent State (6-5).

The following weekend, the team took on Bryant and Delaware twice each at the Blue Hen Invitational and came away with four losses. Bryant took down the 'Phins, 19-11, in six innings in game one and 9-0 in five innings in game two while Delaware came away with 9-3 and 8-0 victories over Le Moyne.

To round out non-conference play, the Dolphins went 2-3 at the Longwood Spring Break Classic from Mar. 6-8. The team fell to Youngstown twice (9-0, 4-3) and the host Lancers (7-1) before finishing out the tournament with a pair of wins over Lafayette, 3-1 and 6-2. 

Le Moyne opened NEC play on Mar. 14 and fell to LIU in three consecutive games, 8-0 (6 inn.), 12-4 (5 inn.), and 5-4 on the road through the weekend.

The team then traveled to NEC-newcomer New Haven for a three-game set on Mar. 21-22 and came away with their first series victory of the year. Le Moyne shutout the Chargers, 9-0, in five innings in game one on Saturday before falling 2-1 in 10 innings in game two and taking the rubber match, 4-3, in eight innings on Sunday.

Most recently, the Dolphins dropped a mid-week non-conference matchup on the road against UAlbany, 10-2, on Wednesday, Mar. 25.

Stat Leaders:
Through 24 team games, freshman outfielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) leads all qualified hitters with an .895 OPS, slashing .326/.383/.512 while starting in 16 games. Dunkerley has tallied 14 hits with five doubles and one home run, 5 RBI, and six runs scored this season.

Senior infielder Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) sits just behind Dunkerley with an .887 OPS, posting a .492 slugging rate and .395 on-base percentage. Benderski is hitting .270 (17-63) with a team-high three homers and 16 RBI to go along with five doubles. She is second on the team with 13 runs scored while working 11 walks. 

Junior outfielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) has gone 21-65 (.309) at the plate with five doubles, two homeruns, and 11 walks while adding eight RBI and a team-high 14 runs scored. Nesci leads the squad with a .407 on-base rate while starting in all 24 games this season.

Sophomore centerfielder Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) has gone 20-61 in the box to register a team-best .328 batting average while also starting in every team game. She has tallied two RBI, one walk, 11 runs scored, and a team-leading 10 stolen bases.

Junior DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) sits just behind Benderski with 10 RBI while walking 10 times this season and adding one home run for a .284/.377/.328 slash line.

In the circle, sophomore Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford) leads all Dolphins with a 4.05 ERA in eight starts and another 10 relief appearances in 55.1 innings pitched so far this season. She also leads the team in WHIP with a 1.73 mark while registering two complete games, one save, and a 3-6 record.

Series History:
Saint Francis holds a 6-0 all-time record against Le Moyne, with their three-game set in 2024 serving as the first meetings in their programs' histories. 

The Red Flash have swept the teams' three-game sets in each of the past two seasons, with both being held in Loretto, Pa.

Newcomers:
The Dolphins have brought in six freshmen this offseason, including utility players Coral Enscoe (Webster, N.Y. / Bishop Kearney) and Adrianna Laraway (Colonie, N.Y. / Colonie), catchers Camryn Shenk (Rome, N.Y. / Camden) and Elizabeth Gleghorn (West Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta), outfielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley), and pitcher Tatum Nessman (Calgary, Alberta / National Sport School).

NEC Outlook:
Le Moyne was selected to finish fifth in the regular season standings in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, after going 7-11 in conference play a year ago. They placed behind favorite LIU, CCSU, FDU, and Wagner while ranking ahead of Saint Francis, Stonehill, Mercyhurst, and New Haven.

2026 NEC Weekly Award Winners & Prime Performers:
Dolphins players have earned three NEC Weekly Awards and 10 NEC Prime Performer honors so far this season.

Pitcher of the Week:
Isabella Kwashek (Mar. 24)

Rookies of the Week:
Tatum Nessman (Feb. 10)
Kayla Dunkerley (Mar. 10)

Prime Performers:
Maddie Martin (Feb. 10)
Shannon Gavigan (Feb. 10)
Sydney Nesci (Feb. 17, Mar. 24)
Cianna Benamati (Mar. 3)
Audrey Benderski (Mar. 3, Mar. 10)
Kayla Dunkerley (Mar. 10)
Adrianna Laraway (Mar. 10)
Isabella Kwashek (Mar. 24)

Coach Roman:
Tracey Roman was named the head coach of the Le Moyne softball program on Oct. 7, 2019 after gaining over 20 years of coaching experience as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts, head coach for the Baldwinsville Central School District, Cicero Renegades, and Sports Zone organizations, and head coach and recruiting coordinator with the UNY Revolution club program. 

Scouting Saint Francis:
The Red Flash have earned a 1-27-1 overall record and a 1-5 record in NEC action so far in head coach Bill Vasko's first season with the program.

Saint Francis opened the season with a 0-21 record through five non-conference tournaments from Feb. 6-Mar. 8.

Since then, the Red Flash kicked off NEC play earning their first win while going 1-2 in three games at home against New Haven from Mar. 14-15 before falling in three straight games while hosting CCSU last weekend. 

Most recently, the Red Flash traveled to Bucknell for a midweek non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, Mar. 26 and fell 25-2 in game one before tying game two, 12-12, against the Bison.

Sophomore utility player Sofia Zielinski leads Saint Francis with a 1.491 OPS, registering a .448 batting average and a .985 slugging rate, both team-highs, through 23 games started. Zielinski has tallied two doubles, a pair of triples, 10 homeruns, and five walks while adding 27 RBI and 18 runs scored.

Freshman pitcher Zoe Kesterson leads the team with a 7.86 ERA through nine starts and 18 total appearances, going 1-6 with one complete game through 49.0 innings this season.

The Red Flash added five freshmen to their squad after going 26-26 overall and capturing their seventh NEC title in eight seasons before heading to the NCAA Regional a year ago.

Saint Francis was voted to finish sixth in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 14-7  in the conference last year.

What's Next:
Le Moyne will travel to Cornell for a non-conference doubleheader with the Big Red next Wednesday, Apr. 1 at 2/4 p.m.