Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 2, 2009) - A five-run fourth inning gave C.W. Post more then enough run support and No. 20 softball held the NYIT Bears to only four hits and one run as the Pioneers advanced in the East Coast Conference Championships, 9-1 over NYIT in a six-inning game shortened by the mercy rule and are the only remaining undefeated team as they will play in tomorrow's ECC Championship game, slated for noon.

East Coast Conference First Team outfielder Melissa Medina (Levittown, N.Y.) led off the game with a single to center and moved to third on a walk to ECC Third Team first baseman Ashley Marchese (Patchogue, N.Y.) and a fielder's choice by ECC Rookie of the Year Kerry Fisher (Barto, Pa.). With runners on second and third, ECC First Team shortstop Christie Softy (Floral Park, N.Y.) singled up the middle to drive in two runs and stake the Pioneers to an early 2-0 lead.

C.W. Post improves to 33-16 and will advance to the ECC Championship game against the winner of the NYIT vs. Molloy/Dowling matchup that will be decided in today's 4:30 p.m. contest. NYIT falls to 36-24-1 and will await the Molloy vs. Dowling matchup at 2:30 to decide their opponent for this evenings' contest.

A big fourth inning saw Medina draw a bases-loaded walk to drive in a run, and Marchese and Kerry Fisher each rapped RBI singles to drive in two more runs and make the score 5-0. Softy's sacrifice fly to center field scored Medina, and Shannon Kulnis' (Flemington, N.J.) sacrifice fly to left friend scored Marchese for a 7-0 lead.

A pair of throwing errors by the Pioneer infield in the top of the fifth gave NYIT its first run of the game, but C.W. Post tacked on two more runs in the sixth on a Softy RBI and a mishandled grounder to short by Kulnis, and the Pioneers ended the game early via the mercy rule with a 9-1 final score.

Although ECC Pitcher of the Year Sarah Kiser (Cooper City, Fla.) did not have her usually high number of strikeouts, she kept the Bears off balance all game, allowing only four hits and one unearned run. She issued five walks (two intentional) and struck out three batters in the win, improving to 18-3 on the season.

Nina Cesare (Whitestone, N.Y.) took the loss for NYIT, dropping to 17-10, giving up seven runs on five hits in three innings pitched. Michelle Rapp (Hammonton, N.J.) pitched 2.1 innings of two-hit relief, giving up two runs.

Offensively for the Pioneers, Medina, Kerry Fisher and Softy each had two this. Medina and Kerry Fisher each scored two runs and drove in one, while Softy had four RBI. 

Anna Hernandez (Tucson, Ariz.) and Ashley Gosk (Bayshore, N.Y.) each notched two hits for NYIT.