Tournament Details:  Thursday, May 10 – Saturday, May 12
Location: Janet L. Ficke Softball Field | Garden City, N.Y.
Game Links:  Watch Live | Live Stats
Twitter: @LIUPostPioneers | @LIUPSB
LIU Post Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats 
Tournament Information: Tournament Central

THE FIRST LOOK

The LIU Post softball team (35-17, 19-5 ECC) captured the East Coast Conference automatic bid to the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament after defeating Molloy College to claim its first conference crown since 2014. The Pioneers garnered the No. 4 overalls seed in the East Region and earned a spot in the East Region 1 bracket. Rounding out the four-team bracket is No. 1 overall seed Adelphi University (30-19-1, 17-7-1 NE10), No. 5 overall seed Le Moyne College (32-13, 16-9 NE10) and No. 8 overall seed Caldwell University (34-16, 24-2 CACC).
 
The Pioneers open the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, May 10 when they take on Le Moyne at 2:30 p.m. at Janet L. Ficke Softball Field on the campus at host Adelphi.

INSIDE THE SERIES
 
Below is LIU Post's record vs. each of the three teams in East Region 1 over the past 10 seasons and current win/loss streak:
 
No. 1 Adelphi – 9-7 (L3)
No. 5 Le Moyne – 6-3 (W1)
No. 8 Caldwell – 13-7 (L1)
 
HOW THEY GOT HERE
 
LIU Post
 
Finished 3-1 in the ECC Tournament, defeating Molloy College 4-1 to earn its first conference title since 2014. With the conference championship, LIU Post secured the ECC automatic bid into the East Region Tournament.
 
Adelphi
 
Went 2-0 in the Northeast-10 Tournament, earning a bye into the semifinals before defeating Southern New Hampshire in extra innings and knocking off Pace University 3-0 to earn the NE10 automatic bid. The conference championship is the Panthers' second consecutive NE10 title and seventh consecutive and 18th overall NCAA Tournament appearance.  
 
Le Moyne
 
Fell to the University of New Haven in the opening round of the NE10 Tournament, 5-2. Finished the season with a 32-13 overall record to earn one of five at-large bids for NE10 teams. This marks the Dolphins' first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016.
 
Caldwell
 
Went 4-0 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament, defeating Dominican College 10-7 in extra innings to claim the CACC automatic bid. The conference title was the second consecutive for Caldwell and the bid marks the 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the Cougars.
 
TEAM LEADERS
 
LIU Post
 
The Pioneers swept the four major ECC awards this season, with sophomores Abbey Fortin and Katie Humhej, freshman Breanna Klaiber, and head coach Jamie Apicella earning Player, Pitcher, Rookie, and Coach of the Year, respectively. Humhej and junior Hannah Olshevski have provided a one-two punch in the circle, with Olshevski earning second-team All-ECC accolades as well.
 
At the plate, Fortin leads an extremely powerful top of the lineup for the Pioneers. One through four in the lineup have combined for 27 home runs, 148 runs batted in, and 150 runs scored. Fortin leads the Pioneers with a .411 batting average, 50 runs, 74 hits, 15 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .789 slugging percentage.
 
Adelphi
 
Senior Brenna Martini repeated as the NE10 Player of the Year for the third consecutive season after compiling a .377 batting average with 13 home runs, 42 RBIs and a .695 slugging percentage.  Martini's 13 home runs are as many as the rest of the Panther roster combined and leads the NE10. Junior Nicoletta Cuccio is also a dangerous threat at the plate, hitting .333 with a team-best 48 runs scored and 12 doubles.
 
A freshmen pitching staff of Nicole Mengel and Ally Muller have combined for 22 wins in the circle, nine complete games, and 148 strikeouts.
 
Le Moyne
 
Senior pitcher Alexis Eastman and junior outfielder Lauren Zazzaro were named to the All-NE10 first team this season. Eastman has compiled 20 wins and recorded a 1.97 earned run average in the circle and is expected to throw the majority of the innings in the tournament. The senior has overpowered batters this season, recording 197 strikeouts, the fourth most in Le Moyne program history.
 
Zazzaro adds a powerful bat to the Dolphin lineup, notching a team-best eight home runs, 35 RBIs four triples and a .648 slugging percentage. Graduate student Kelsey Johnson leads the team with a .358 batting average and 32 runs scored.
 
Caldwell
 
Senior Marisa Monasseri earned second-team All-CACC accolades this year, albeit would be a first-team honoree in many other conferences. Monasseri leads the team with a .363 average, adding 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. Freshman Maya Rodriguez has added 40 RBIs as well, hitting .353 on the year.
 
Sophomores Jessie Johnston and Sara Bearden have both notched earned run averages south of 3.00. Bearden leads the team with 18 wins and 156 strikeouts, while Johnston has tossed seven shutouts this season.

TICKET INFORMATION

Admission will be charged for all fans in attendance for this week's contests. Tickets for adults will be $8 and senior citizens and children will be admitted for $5, while current students with valid ID will be charged $3.