BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – It was a successful Senior Day for LIU Post softball as the Pioneers swept Molloy College to improve to 20-2 in East Coast Conference play.
The Pioneers honored its Class of 2019 before the two-game set on Saturday, recognizing the careers of
Alex Hutchins,
Ashley Melendez,
Leah Mele,
Hannah Olshevski, and
Julia Seader. Along with the Senior Day festivities, the Green and Gold welcomed back nearly 40 alumnae to campus, forming one of the largest crowds at the LIU Post Softball Complex this season.
Sophomore
Patricia Dun and
Hanna Finkelstein led a group of five Pioneers with three-hit days as the duo combined to drive in eight runs. Dun tallied three RBI-singles during game one and Finkelstein belted home runs during both games to drive in five runs and match Mele for a team-best three runs scored. Melendez and Seader each homered and drove in a pair of runs for the Pioneers.
Junior
Katie Humhej was outstanding in the circle, tossing a three-hit shutout during the opening contest, and Olshevski kept Molloy off balance during the backend of the doubleheader, striking out three to reach the 20-win mark for the season.
Game One: LIU Post 8, Molloy 0 (5 Inn.)
It was all LIU Post during the first contest, as Dun opened the scoring during the second inning with an RBI-single down the right-field foul line to give LIU Post a 1-0 advantage. A scoring streak started during the third inning, as Fortin led off the inning with a single and advanced on an error by the Lions. Finkelstein ripped a double to right-center field to plate Fortin and two batters later junior
Megan Sneeden drove her in with a ground out to second base. Three-consecutive singles by the Pioneers, including another RBI-single by Dun, pushed one more run across to give the Green and Gold a 4-0 advantage.
After Humhej stranded two runners on base during the top of the fourth, Seader and Fortin led off the bottom of the inning with singles and Finkelstein launched a moonshot home run just over the fence in left-center field to put the Pioneers ahead 7-0. Dun delivered another RBI-single with two outs to cap off the inning and Humhej struck out the final batter of the game to give LIU Post the run-rule victory.
Game Two: LIU Post 6, Molloy 5
Game two started similar to how game one ended, with Finkelstein and Melendez hitting home runs to give LIU Post a 3-0 lead after two innings. Molloy answered in a big way, however, as Alex Burns lifted a two-run home run to right field and the Lions tacked on three more runs over the next two innings to take a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
Mele led off the bottom of the frame with a single to center field and Dun advanced her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt two batters later. Laird delivered a clutch single through the middle of the diamond to bring the Pioneers within one run and Seader continued to be the spark plug for the Pioneers, launching her 18th homer of the season to center field to give the Pioneers a 6-5 advantage.
The Lions threatened during the final inning, but Olshevski stranded the bases loaded after inducing a pop up to first base on a full count to help the Pioneers hold on for the one-run victory.
LIU Post will wrap up the regular season tomorrow afternoon when it hosts Queens College at 12:00 p.m. The Pioneers have a chance to match the program record for most regular-season wins during the two-game set, equaling 44 victories during the 2013 regular season.