CLERMONT, Fla. – The LIU Post softball team settled for a split for the second-consecutive day at THE Spring Games at the Legends Way Ballfields, defeating Mercyhurst University 10-1 before falling to nationally-ranked Grand Valley State University, 3-1.
 
Seniors Julia Seader and Leah Mele tallied three hits each on the day, with Mele adding one double and one run batted in. Sophomore Hanna Finkelstein drove in five runs, including a grand slam for her first career home run.
 
In the circle, junior Katie Humhej improved to 4-0 on the year, surrendering one run on three hits over five innings against Mercyhurst.
 
Game One – LIU Post 10, Mercyhurst 1
 
Finkelstein got things started with a bang in the first inning, blasting a grand slam to center field to for her first career home run, giving the Pioneers a 4-0 lead after the first inning. Mercyhurst got one run back during the top of the fourth on a bases-loaded groundout, making it 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

From there it was all LIU Post as the Green and Gold plated six runs after batting around during the bottom half of the stanza. Seader opened the scoring parade with an RBI-single through the right side of the infield and Mele eventually capped off the inning with an RBI-single of her own to earn the run-rule victory.

Game Two – LIU Post 1, Grand Valley State 3
 
LIU Post jumped ahead during the second inning when freshman Breanna Klaiber doubled down the right field line to lead off the frame. After a sacrifice bunt, junior Megan Sneeden drove home Klaiber with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Green and Gold a 1-0 advantage.
 
The same score line remained into the fifth inning before the Lakers rallied with two outs in the bottom half of the stanza. With one runner on, Grand Valley leveled the scoring with a double to left field and two more base hits gave the Lakers a 3-1 lead after five. The Pioneers were unable to push any runs across the rest of the way, suffering its third loss of the Florida swing by the 3-1 final.