Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team hosted Saint Francis in their first home doubleheader of the season on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins came out on top, 6-5, in walk-off fashion in game one before finishing out the sweep with a 9-6 win in game two.

Game 1:
Le Moyne cracked the scoreboard first in the bottom of the opening frame as sophomore center fielder Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) reached on an infield single before stealing second and then crossing the plate on a single to center field off the bat of junior right fielder Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse). 

Saint Francis answered in the top of the third inning as a triple to center by third baseman Olivia Hood drove in two runners to give the team the lead. Le Moyne's sophomore starter Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford) allowed a sac fly to right field by first baseman Annabelle Farmer one at-bat later as the Red Flash extended their lead to 3-1.

The Dolphins came back to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning as junior DP Arianna Exarchakis (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) led off with a single to center field before her pinch runner, junior Gabriella Zarcone (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East), came around to score on a double to right center off the bat of junior pinch hitter Molly Wolf (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads). In the next at-bat, Wolf crossed home plate on a throwing error by the Red Flash.

Saint Francis again took the lead in their half of the sixth as they loaded the bases before shortstop Aliya Garroway worked a walk to plate a runner.

Le Moyne immediately responded, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-4 lead. Nesci worked a lead-off walk before coming around to score on a single to right center by senior first baseman Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) two at-bats before sophomore catcher Ava Todd (Savannah, N.Y. / Tyburn Academy) singled to left center to drive in junior pinch runner Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa/Haverford).

Needing a run to stay alive in the top of the seventh, Saint Francis again worked their way back to tie the game at 5-5 as Farmer homered to lead-off the frame.

The 'Phins' relentless offense struck again in their half of the inning, this time for the 6-5 win, as Martin singled through the left side and advanced to second base before coming home to score the winning run on a fielding error by the left fielder. 

Martin led the Dolphins with two hits and a pair of runs scored while six different batters registered an RBI in the win.

Kwashek earned the win, tossing a complete game allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out one batter.

Game 2:
Le Moyne struck first again in game two, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Following a lead-off triple to right center from freshman left fielder Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley), she was driven in on an RBI sac fly off the bat of Nesci. A single through the left side by sophomore third baseman Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) one at-bat later scored Martin who walked earlier in the frame.

A lead-off walk from freshman shortstop Coral Enscoe (Webster, N.Y. / Bishop Kearney) in the following inning led to the team extending their early lead to three runs as the runner crossed home plate on a single to right center from Dunkerley.

The Red Flash lessened their deficit to two runs in the top of the third off back-to-back doubles from center fielder Morgan Pasternak and pitcher Olivia Kolowitz.

The Dolphins added four runs over the next two innings, first as Exarchakis reached base on a fielding error which allowed Benderski to score in their half of the third. Then, in the bottom of the fourth, a sac fly off the bat of Nesci, triple to center by Benamati, and single to left field from Benderski in consecutive at-bats plated a trio of runs to give the hosts a 7-1 lead by the end of the fourth inning.

Saint Francis worked back to within three runs in the top of the fifth as Pasternak connected on a three-run homer off of Le Moyne's freshman starter Tatum Nessman (Calgary, Alberta / National Sport School).

Le Moyne's offense concluded their strong scoring effort in the bottom of the inning as Todd scored on a wild pitch before Dunkerley again cracked an RBI double to score Enscoe from third.

Facing a 9-4 deficit in the top of the seventh inning, catcher Olivia Holtzman recorded a two-run homerun for Saint Francis before Nessman registered the final two outs of the game to secure the Dolphins' doubleheader sweep over the Red Flash. 

Le Moyne's victories on Sunday marked their second NEC series victory of the season.

Dunkerley led all batters with three hits in game two while tying Benamati and Nesci with a team-high two RBI, as well.

Nessman earned the team's second complete game win of the day, allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits and three walks while recording a career-best seven strikeouts.

What's Next:
Le Moyne will look to close out the series sweep in one more matchup against Saint Francis at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, Mar. 30.