CLERMONT, Fla. (Mar. 10, 2016) - In its final regional contests Thursday at the PFX Spring Games, the LIU Post softball team downed Assumption College and American International College by respective scores of 12-5 and 1-0.

Game #1: LIU Post 12, AIC 5
Scoreless through two innings of play, the Pioneers broke the tie in the third, when freshman shortstop Leah Mele (Coram, N.Y.) came home on a throwing error by Yellow Jackets' (1-4) sophomore catcher Jamie Mainez (Redlands, Calif.).

In the frame that preceded, junior pitcher Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) worked herself out of a second-and-third, one-out jam by striking out back-to-back batters. Sophomore outfielder Samantha Marrone (Holbrook, N.Y.) also aided in the cause, gunning down senior third baseman Jordin Miller (Garfield, N.J.) on a play at the plate.

Martin again got herself in trouble in the third, loading the bases with one out. However, the righty fanned Miller and Mainez in consecutive at-bats to silence the threat.

From there, LIU Post tacked on two runs in its half of the fourth and three runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-0. Senior first baseman Paige Swantek (Smithtown, N.Y.) and junior outfielder Mackenzie Buckley (St. James, N.Y.) had RBI singles in that stretch, while senior third baseman Maria Palmeri (Middle Village, N.Y.) ripped a two-RBI double to right.

Though AIC later managed to close the gap to 8-5, the green and gold put up a four-spot in the seventh, behind an Emily DeVito (Preston, Conn.) two-RBI double, to seal the victory.

Martin went five innings in earning her second win of the season. She scattered seven hits, three runs and one walk, to go along with six strikeouts.

Game #2: LIU Post 1, Assumption 0
In a pitcher's duel between LIU Post (6-2) and Assumption (2-5), the Pioneers plated the lone run of the contest in the bottom of the first inning. After leading off the game with a single, Mele came around to score on an Isabella Corrao (Farmingdale, N.Y.) two-out RBI single to center.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Olshevski (Robbinsville, N.J.) was dominant in the circle, en route to starting the year at 4-0. She retired the first six batters to face her and yielded only six hits on the day.

The Greyhounds nearly tied the game in the fifth, until another strong throw in the outfield kept the Pioneers ahead. This time, junior outfielder Melissa Peet (Monroe, Conn.) threw a one-hopper to freshman catcher Julia Seader (Piscataway, N.J.), who caught senior outfielder Christina Caira (Newton, Mass.) between third and home. Palmeri then tagged Caira for the third out, ending the inning.

In the circle, Olshevski tossed her first collegiate shutout, striking out two and yielding a walk. Over her first four starts, Olshevski boasts a 0.97 earned-run average and a .218 batting average against.

Head Coach Jamie Apicella and the Pioneers cap off their Florida trip Saturday (Mar. 12), when they face Minot State University and Saginaw Valley State University at the PFX Spring Games at 3 and 5 p.m., respectively.