Box Score
Amherst, Mass. - A historic season for the Long Island University softball team concluded on Sunday as it fell to No. 13 Arizona State, 9-1, in the NCAA Amherst Regional Final in Amherst, Mass. LIU finished the year with a program record 39 wins and saw its senior-laden team win a school-record two NCAA tournament contests.
ASU jumped out to a early lead in the bottom of the first. An RBI-single from Kaylyn Rogers sent across Katelyn Boyd to give the Sun Devils a 1-0 lead. Krista Donnenwirth tallied on RBI on a fielder's choice and Annie Lockwood later singled to increase the lead to 3-0. In the second inning, ASU threatened to extend its lead but senior
Raylene Asman hauled in a deep fly ball and then forced a double play to end the inning.
Arizona State blew the game open in the third when it tacked on four insurance runs highlighted by a three-run homer from Caylyn Carlson that made the score 7-0.
Long Island scored got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when staged a one-out rally. Seniors
Mariesha Marker and
Brynn Lewis both reached base on infield singles to give the Blackbirds runners on first and second. After ASU's Hillary Bach forced a pop out, senior
Chelsea Martinson belted a singled through the middle to plate Marker and cut the Arizona State lead to 7-1.
The Sun Devils tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth via a wild pitch and a base hit from Kaylyn Castillo to give ASU a 9-1 advantage.
The contest marked the final game for LIU's five seniors. Asman, Lewis, Marker, Martinson and pitcher
Blaire Porter ended their careers as the programs winningest class with 140 wins. Porter's 80 career wins and 29 this season are now LIU marks as she finishes her standout career the Long Island leader in wins and strikeouts.