Box Score
Clearwater, Fla. –The Long Island University softball team withstood a late rally to snap a four-game losing streak by defeating Indiana, 4-3, in Clearwater, Fla. Indiana loaded the bases with two outs down one run in the seventh but senior
Blaire Porter forced a fielder’s choice to preserve the win. The Blackbirds now stand at 8-10 on the year and are 2-0 against Big Ten opponents.
LIU entered the seventh with a 4-1 advantage but the Hoosiers mounted one last rally. Three straight Indiana singles brought across a run and loaded the bases with one out. Sara Olsen doubled to right field, scoring one run before LIU was able to tag out Kalli Ritchison on the third base line. After walking a batter, Porter escaped the threat by inducing a weak ground ball that sophomore
Sterling Hoham threw home for the force.
Long Island struck first in the second frame after freshman
Emily Kakuska and sophomore
Amanda MacIntosh both singled. Hoham singled to center and with the help from an Indiana error plated Kakuska to put the Blackbirds up 1-0.
MacIntosh started a fifth-inning rally with a one-out hit and took second on a Hoosier mishap. On the next play, Hoham reached first and pinch-runner freshman
Lindsey Walker advanced to third on another Indiana error. Walker would then score on a single by senior
Mariesha Marker. After a fielder’s choice left runners on first and second, junior
Bianca Mejia singled in Marker to put the Blackbirds ahead 3-0.
Indiana got on the board in the bottom of the frame when Samantha Haymen reached on an error, stole a base and was driven in by Breanna Saucedo. Porter got out of a two-on, no out jam in the inning to preserve the 3-1 lead. For the contest, Porter held the Hoosiers in check with runners on base as Indiana stranded nine.
The fourth and deciding Blackbird run came from a towering two-out double from MacIntosh that scored freshman
Karina Cervantes. MacIntosh was 3-for-3 in the game with a double and two base knocks.
Both teams tallied ten hits in the game as the Blackbirds saw seven players record a hit. Porter finished the contest with four strikeouts.
Long Island returns to action against Dartmouth on Thursday, March 18 at Noon.