Swantek's Walk-off Sacrifice Fly Lifts Softball Past Dominican, 7-6

5/10/2013 9:54:00 PM

Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 10, 2013) – In a rematch of last year's first round of the NCAA East Regional, the LIU Post softball team picked up a 7-6 victory over Dominican College in the opening game of the NCAA Division II East Region Softball Championships Friday afternoon with a walk-off sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman designated player Paige Swantek (Smithtown, N.Y.).

LIU Post improves to 47-13 overall and will play Adelphi University, who defeated the University of New Haven 4-1 in the second game, on Saturday at 11 a.m.  Dominican falls to 32-21 overall and will face New Haven at 1:30 p.m.

Over the first three and one-third innings the game was a pitching duel until junior center fielder Alexis Gonzalez (Hauppauge, N.Y.) deposited a line drive over the fence in straight away center field with sophomore left fielder Catherine Havens (Eastport, N.Y.) aboard giving the Pioneers a 2-0 lead.

The Chargers took the lead in the top of the sixth with three runs.  Back-to-back RBI doubles by right fielder Delaney Childers and designated player Kim Ragazzo plated two runs, and two batters later first baseman Paige Berzak singled down the left field line plating pinch runner Jordan Flavell-Boney for the third run of the inning.

The Pioneers tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Swantek singled up the middle scoring junior shortstop Nicole Hagenah (Commack, N.Y.) from second base.

Dominican did not go down without a fight, scoring three runs on five hits in the top of the seventh inning.  With one out and runners on first and second, the Chargers put together three straight RBI singles capped off by a Ragazzo single through the left side.

Down 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneer bats exploded for four runs on five hits.  Three straight singles to lead off the inning by sophomore right fielder Samantha Miller (East Meadow, N.Y.), pitcher Liz Weber (Brightwaters, N.Y.), and Havens loaded the bases with no outs.  Gonzalez followed with a single to center plating pinch runner Jessica Julich (Kings Park, N.Y.) and Weber.  Hagenah added a double to right field that scored Havens to tie the score at 6-6.  The Chargers decided to walk sophomore catcher Aly Dzierzynski (Deer Park, N.Y.) to load the bases with no outs setting the stage for Swantek.  Swantek drilled a fly ball to right field that was deep enough for Gonzalez to tag-up and score the winning run.

Gonzalez and Hagenah each finished the game with 3-for-4 showings at the plate, while Havens and Miller added 2-for-3 performances.  Gonzalez added four RBI.