Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College softball team clinched their first NEC Championship Tournament berth with a win over Central Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon. The Dolphins came out on top, 3-2, in game one of the two-game set before splitting the doubleheader with an 8-3 loss in game two.
Prior to the 'Phins victory, the team celebrated Senior Day and recognized
Alexandra Chesney (Malverne, N.Y. /Sacred Heart Academy),
Rose Nicastro (Webster, N.Y. / Webster Thomas),
Avery Linn (Bethpage, N.Y.), and
Audrey Benderski (Spring Lake Park, Minn./Spring Lake Park) for their contributions to Le Moyne's softball program over the past four seasons.
Game 1:
Following two shutdown innings in the circle from Le Moyne's sophomore starter
Isabella Kwashek (West Deptford, N.J. / West Deptford) to start the game, the Dolphins added all three of their runs in a three-hit bottom of the second inning.
Junior right fielder
Sydney Nesci (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) and sophomore third baseman
Cianna Benamati (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) led off with a pair of walks before junior shortstop
Shannon Gavigan (Havertown, Pa/Haverford) reached on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs.
Freshman
Elizabeth Gleghorn (West Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta) was tabbed to pinch-hit and drove in the two lead runners with an RBI single to left field. Two batters later, freshman left fielder
Kayla Dunkerley (Purcellville, Va. / Loudon Valley) fouled out right field which allowed Gavigan to score from third and put the hosts ahead, 3-0.
After three quiet innings for both offenses in which only one hit was allowed between the two sides, the Blue Devils finally cracked the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. Catcher Reagan Vunak reached first on a throwing error which allowed right fielder Kristina Bozek to cross the plate before first baseman Grace Lawton drove in center fielder Ashlyn Desaulniers with a sac fly to left field.
Despite allowing a runner to reach base on a walk in the top of the seventh, Kwashek was able to close out the win in her ninth complete game of the season.
Benderski led the Dolphins with a pair of hits while Gleghorn's two RBI marked a game-high.
Kwashek tossed all seven innings, allowing two runs (zero earned) on two hits and four walks while striking out two batters.
With the win, the Dolphins clinched their first conference tournament berth since beginning their transition to Division I and joining the NEC prior to the 2024 season.
Game 2:
CCSU got on the board early in game two, as three straight singles loaded the bases to lead-off the top of the second inning before Bozek reached on a fielder's choice which allowed third baseman Stella Gasper to score just before Desaulniers reached on another fielder's choice to plate DP Joslyn Teal from third. On at-bat later, Vunak singled up the middle of Le Moyne's sophomore starter
Danni Simpson (Marietta, Ga. / Sprayberry) to drive in second baseman Skylar Warn and put the team ahead, 3-0.
Le Moyne lessened their deficit to two runs in the bottom of the next inning as sophomore catcher
Ava Todd (Savannah, N.Y. / Tyburn Academy) led off with a double to right center before moving to third on an infield single off the bat of Linn. Later in the inning, Gleghorn appeared to pinch-hit and came through once again, this time with an RBI sac fly to left field which scored Todd.
The Blue Devils broke through in the top of the fifth inning as they scored five runs on five hits to extend their lead to seven runs, 8-1. Warn and left fielder Sophia LoPiccolo drove in one run each on a pair of base hits while Bozek and shortstop Ava Cino each plated a runner with a pair of fielder's choices. The final run of the inning was scored as Bozek crossed home plate on a wild pitch.
The Dolphins responded with a pair of two-out runs in their half of the frame as Dunkerley singled to third base before stealing second and coming home on a double to left field by sophomore center fielder
Maddie Martin (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley). The next batter, Benderski, scored the runner from second base with a single up the middle.
Facing an 8-3 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Dolphins added a pair of base hits but could not push a run across as they split the series-opening doubleheader with an 8-3 loss in game two.
Dunkerley's three hits led the 'Phins' offense in the second leg of the doubleheader.
In the circle, Simpson allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits and two walks while striking out three batters in 5.0 innings of work. Freshman
Adrianna Laraway (Colonie, N.Y. / Colonie) closed out the final two innings, shutting out the Blue Devils on zero hits and no walks.
What's Next:
Le Moyne will close out the 2026 regular season at home with the series finale against CCSU tomorrow, Sunday, May 3.
