BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The LIU Post softball team continued its hot play in East Coast Conference competition with a doubleheader sweep of the New York Institute of Technology on Senior Day April 29.
 
Before the day's games, the Pioneers honored its four graduating members as they were set to play in their final regular season contest at the LIU Post Softball Complex.
 
Sophomore Abbey Fortin led the Pioneers on the day, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two walks. Senior Gianna Gatto added three hits and two runs scored, while sophomore Ashley Casazza added three hits as well. Freshman Breanna Klaiber continued her torrid hitting as well, going 4-for- 7 at the dish with two doubles and two runs batted in. Juniors Julia Seader and Leah Mele capped off the hit parade with three hits apiece.
 
In the circle, sophomore Katie Humhej tossed a five-inning shutout in game two, striking out six batters along the way. Junior Hannah Olshevski also earned her 16th win of the season in game one, matching Jenna Turato of Molloy College for the top spot in the ECC.
 
Game One – LIU Post 11, NYIT 7
 
The Pioneer bats seemed to have given the Green and Gold control early, as Seader led off the bottom of the first with a monster solo home run to right-center field and freshman Patricia Dun and Fortin drove home three more runs in the second to make it 4-0 early.
 
The Bears stormed back in the fourth inning, however, plating three runs on five hits to cut the deficit down to one run at the midway point of the contest. The rally continued for NYIT in its following at-bat, scoring three more times to take a 6-5 lead in the fifth inning. The Pioneer offense put together its own rally in the bottom of the frame to halt the Bear momentum though. Seader tied the score with an RBI-single through the middle of the infield and Dun helped LIU Post retake the lead with an RBI-single during the following at-bat. Fortin and Klaiber drove home three more runs in the frame to take a 10-6 lead late.
 
NYIT pushed across one run in the sixth before sophomore Allie Laird answered with a sacrifice fly for the game's final run, giving the Pioneers an 11-7 victory in the day's opener.
 
Game Two – LIU Post 9, NYIT 0 (5 Inn.)
 
The bats stayed hot for LIU Post in game two, racking up 11 hits in four innings to earn a mercy-rule victory to complete the sweep. After a scoreless first, Laird drove in the game's first two runs with a single through the middle to put the Pioneers ahead 2-0. Casazza added to the lead in the second with an infield single to third base to make it 3-0 after two frames.
 
The offense continued in the third when Mele doubled to the wall in center field to drive in two runs. Fortin kept things rolling in the fourth with a solo home run to left-center field, sparking a five-run frame. Laird and Gatto drove home two runs each during the big inning, putting the game out of reach for good.
 
In the circle, Humhej took care of the rest, allowing just seven runners on base throughout the game. The sophomore stranded three runners in scoring position, including two runners on third base to record her sixth shutout of the season. Humhej also eclipsed the 200-strikeout mark for her career with her second strikeout of the day.
 
The Green and Gold return to action on Wednesday, May 2 when the Pioneers host No. 4 seed University of Bridgeport on Day One of the ECC Championship at 3:00 p.m. A full preview for the Pioneer playoff run will be available on www.liupostpioneers.com early next week.