YAPHANK, N.Y. (Mar. 20, 2017) - On Monday, the LIU Post softball team split a doubleheader against University of New Haven in non-conference action at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank.

The Pioneers (7-5) cruised to an 8-3 victory in the opener, before losing a hard-fought 2-1 extra-inning decision in the nightcap.

Game #1: LIU Post 8, New Haven 3
In the opener, the Pioneers got out to a fast start, tallying a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead.

Following back-to-back one-out singles, junior first baseman Gianna Gatto (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and sophomore designated player Ashley Melendez (Levittown, N.Y.) each laced an RBI single to give the hosts the early edge.

Then, in the third, Gatto struck again. With two away and a runner on second, she hit an RBI single up the middle to plate freshman outfielder Ashley Casazza (Wantagh, N.Y.), making it a 3-0 game.

The green and gold eventually built a commanding 8-1 advantage through five innings to pull away. Sophomore catcher Julia Seader (Piscataway, N.J.) contributed an RBI single in the effort. Junior outfielder Samantha Marrone (Holbrook, N.Y.) and freshman third baseman Megan Sneeden (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) both had run-scoring doubles.

In the circle, sophomore pitcher Hannah Olshevski (Robbinsville, N.J.) tossed a complete game to improve to 4-0 on the year. She scattered six hits, three runs and two walks with five strikeouts.

Game #2: LIU Post 1, New Haven 2 - F/8
Down 1-0 in the fourth inning, Seader led off a rally for the Pioneers with a triple to right-center field.

Two batters later, Gatto leveled the score with an RBI double down the right-field line.

The green and gold then had an opportunity to take the lead in the sixth. Despite loading the bases with two outs, Sneeden grounded out to end the threat.

It would take extra innings to decide the contest. The Chargers (7-3) scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth, on an RBI single by Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y.).

Senior pitcher Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) took the hard-luck loss in the decision. She hurled eight innings of seven-hit, two-run, two-walk, four-strikeout ball.

Head Coach Jamie Apicella and the Pioneers return to the field Tuesday (Mar. 21), when they open East Coast Conference play in Rockville Centre at Molloy College. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.