Coming off a sweep of Molloy College which pushed their winning streak to 12 games, the LIU Post Softball team returned to action on Saturday, Apr. 11, when they faced off against the Mavericks from Mercy College.
The Mavericks took game one of two by a score of 2-1. The Pioneers’ lone run came on a fifth inning homer by sophomore infielder Kayla McCoy. The Mavericks answered that run with one of their own in the bottom half of the sixth inning. In extra innings, the Mavericks dealt the final blow with a walk-off double off the bat of senior first baseman Jackie Couillard, which scored sophomore outfielder Janelle Wade.
In the second game, the Pioneers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a lead-off triple which was followed by a sacrifice fly. As in the first game, Mercy responded. They avoided the shut-down inning and tied the score at one on a home run by senior catcher Liza Ueno.
With the score evened up at one, McCoy put the Pioneers on top in the third inning with her second round tripper on the afternoon. That was all the offense the Pioneers would need as Isabella Corrao kept the opposition on their heels and guided the team to the 3-2 win. The junior hurler went seven innings while scattering nine hits and striking out five on route to her fourth win of the season.
The Pioneers rounded out their weekend of games on Sunday, Apr. 12, when they took the field against the Golden Lions from Dowling College in their inaugural Make-A-Wish double header at home in Brookville. Powered by senior catcher Aly Dzierzynski, the Pioneers won both low scoring affairs to take three out of the four weekend games.
In game one, the Pioneers and Golden Lions found themselves in the middle of a pitchers’ dual; as neither team got on the board through six and half innings. Sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Buckley delivered the decisive run in the bottom of the seventh inning which plated senior outfielder Samantha Miller for the walk-off victory.
Sophomore pitcher Ashley Miller held the Golden Lions to three hits while collecting six punch outs in her seven inning outing. She improved to 9-2 for the season.
In the second game, the Pioneers got their offense going early. After a RBI single by freshman shortstop Jaclyn Hahn, Dzierzynski came to plate and launched her 49th career home run, breaking the record for most round trippers at LIU Post.
Senior hurler Megan Salcido went the distance, striking out four and only allowing one run to earn her fifth win of year. The Pioneers won by a score of 3-1. Head LIU Post softball coach Jamie Apicella and his squad return to the field on Wednesday, April 15, when they play host to St. Thomas Aquinas College. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
This article was originally published in the Pioneer, the award-winning student newspaper of LIU Post, www.liupostpioneer.com, and is republished here by Blank Slate Media with the permission of the Pioneer.
