Long Island University Athletics

Box Score - Ohio St.
Box Score - Texas Tech
Clearwater, Fla. - The Long Island University softball team held on for a 4-3 upset win over No. 16 Ohio State on Friday in the USF-The Game Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. Senior Blaire Porter struck out the side in the top of the seventh inning to help the Blackbirds preserve their third win over a Big Ten opponent this season. Long Island (11-10) extended its winning streak to four games when it beat Texas Tech, 3-2, in the nightcap on the strength of a walk-off single from sophomore Sterling Hoham.

The Blackbirds entered the sixth with a 4-0 lead before the Buckeyes came charging back. After stringing together two singles, OSU’s Whitney Cooper homered to left field to pull the score to 4-3. From there, Porter shut the door on Ohio State, retiring the next four batters including three of her seven strikeouts in the final frame.

Long Island wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Senior Mariesha Marker led off with a single to second base and subsequently took second after a sacrifice bunt from classmate Raylene Asman. Marker would cross the plate on a double from junior Bianca Mejia to put LIU ahead 1-0. Senior Chelsea Martinson blooped a double to left to plate Mejia and give the Blackbirds a 2-0 lead after one inning.  In the top of the inning, the Buckeyes had runners on first and second but Porter blew a riseball past Cooper to end the OSU threat.

LIU staged a two-out rally in the third to tack on two more runs. With Mejia on third, Martinson reached on a single to place runners on first and third. Freshman Emily Kakuska was next at the dish and smacked a single to left-center that sent Mejia across the plate. Another freshman, Karina Cervantes, slapped a single through the left side of the infield and bring Martinson home and give LIU a 4-0 cushion.

For the contest, Porter only allowed five hits and didn’t surrender a walk to the Buckeyes. In a stretch from the second to sixth innings, Porter retired 13 consecutive batters. The Blackbirds outhit Ohio State, 10-5. 

The trio of Mejia, Martinson and Cervantes all went 2-for-3 in the contest as Long Island brought a balanced attack to the plate. LIU’s hits were scattered among four players and four different players collected RBIs.

Against the Red Raiders, LIU entered the bottom of the seventh tied 2-2. Kakuska laced a base hit to left field to lead off the frame and was then replaced at first by freshman Brianna Melero. Cervantes squeaked a bunt past Texas Tech’s third baseman for a hit and junior Amanda MacIntosh walked to load the bases. Hoham sent a single to shallow center allowing Melero to race home for the winning run.

The Blackbirds had a chance end the contest in the top of the seventh ahead 2-1, but TT’s Mikey Kenney homered to left field to even the score. After walking a batter, freshman Megan Sheaf was replaced by Porter in the circle who retired two of the next three to end the frame.

Sheaf received a no decision but held the Red Raiders in check all game. The freshman recorded six strikeouts and was remarkably efficient with only 86 pitches, 59 of which were strikes. 

Long Island broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the seventh when senior Brynn Lewis sent a towering shot over the left field wall to make the score 1-0 LIU. Texas Tech responded by tying the score in the top of the third when Leah Legler smacked an RBI-single. The Blackbirds took the 2-1 advantage in a wild fifth inning. Cervates took first base on a four-pitch walk and then advanced on three Texas Tech illegal pitches to make the score 2-1.

Long Island continues play at the USF-The Game Tournament on Saturday when it tangles with Florida St. at 3:00 p.m. and Florida Atlantic at 5:00 p.m.