BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Mar. 24, 2015) - The No. 19 LIU Post softball team secured two wins over NYIT on Tuesday in its 2015 East Coast Conference opener at the LIU Post Softball Complex. The Pioneers shut out the Bears, 8-0, in the opener, before holding on for a 3-2 triumph in the nightcap.
The opening contest was highlighted by a Pioneer (6-6, 2-0 ECC) offensive outburst, as they amassed eight total runs from 10 hits. The bottom of the first saw four LIU Post tallies off the bats of sophomore second baseman Melissa Peet (Monroe, Conn.), junior third baseman Maria Palmeri (Middle Village, N.Y.) and sophomore first baseman Kayla McCoy (Smithtown, N.Y.).
Leading by four in the bottom of the third, the Pioneers tacked on another score as junior designated hitter Paige Swantek (Smithtown, N.Y.) crossed the plate on a Palmeri single through the left side. The fifth inning saw Catherine Havens (Eastport, N.Y.) reach first on an NYIT (6-10, 0-2 ECC) fielding error to score McCoy, and Swantek sealed the eight-run win with a walk-off two-run blast down the left-field line.
Sophomore pitcher Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) commanded the circle, allowing the Bears only one hit through a six-frame shutout. She fanned a season-high seven batters and walked just two to improve her 2015 campaign to 3-1.
The latter competition saw another early green and gold lead as Swantek doubled to center in the bottom of the first to score Havens and put the Pioneers up by one.
The Bears answered immediately, as a single up the middle evened things up in the top of the second, but Samantha Miller (East Meadow, N.Y.) cracked the stalemate in the bottom of the frame with an RBI hit that scored McCoy.
LIU Post continued to lead by one (2-1), until senior catcher Aly Dzierzynski (Deer Park, N.Y.) doubled to right-center to score Havens for an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. NYIT's one-run seventh inning was not enough to eclipse the Pioneer advantage.
Reigning East Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week Megan Salcido (Brawley, Calif.) was credited with the win, as she struck out two in five innings pitched, improving her mark to 3-2. Junior hurler Isabella Corrao (Farmingdale, N.Y.) added a save to her efforts.
Head Coach
Jamie Apicella and the Pioneers return to the field Wednesday (Mar. 24), when they face Mercy in ECC action at the LIU Post Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.