BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Mar. 24, 2016) - The LIU Post softball team won a pair of close contests Thursday, defeating University of Bridgeport, 2-0 and 2-1, in an East Coast Conference doubleheader at the LIU Post Softball Complex.

Game #1: LIU Post 2, Bridgeport 0
Scoreless through four-and-a-half innings of play, the Pioneers broke the tie with some two-out magic in the bottom of the fifth. 

After junior outfielder Mackenzie Buckley (St. James, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch, freshman catcher Julia Seader (Piscataway, N.J.) took a 2-1 offering out to left field, staking LIU Post to a 2-0 advantage.

That proved to be all the green and gold needed, as junior pitcher Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) turned in a brilliant performance in the circle.

Martin scattered just two hits and one walk, while fanning 11, for her third shutout of the year. It was also Martin's third victory in as many starts.

Game #2: LIU Post 2, Bridgeport 1
Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneers' (11-5, 4-0 ECC) first three batters reached base to load them up. Freshman shortstop Leah Mele (Coram, N.Y.) then flared a ball into right for a sacrifice fly, plating sophomore outfielder Jaclyn Hahn (Bayport, N.Y.) for the walk-off win.

LIU Post opened the scoring in the nightcap in the second, when senior third baseman Maria Palmeri (Middle Village, N.Y.) belted a solo homer to left.

However, Bridgeport (5-13, 0-4 ECC) evened it up two innings later. Senior outfielder Kaila Crandall (Little Rock, Calif.) hit a long ball to left in the fourth, tying the score at 1-1.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Olshevski (Robbinsville, N.J.) tossed a complete-game two-hitter with three strikeouts in the effort, improving to 6-2 on the season.

Head Coach Jamie Apicella and the Pioneers are back at it Saturday (Mar. 26), when they host ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College in a twinbill at the LIU Post Softball Complex at noon.