BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The LIU softball team improved to 13-3 in Northeast Conference play Saturday, sweeping Merrimack at home. The Sharks run-ruled the Warriors in both games, winning 8-0 in game one, and 15-6 in game two.
GAME ONE
- Tallie Woodson got the complete game shutout win on the mound for LIU. The senior, who improved to 6-1 with the win, held Merrimack scoreless, and limiting their offense to just four hits, while striking out three.
- Junior Camryn Lyman went 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI. Senior Patricia Griffin was 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Ciara Granado was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
- LIU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Granado's double to left center would bring two runs in, and Samantha Garcia had the sac fly to score a third run. And senior Alina Castillo would score on a passed ball to make it 4-0.
- Senior Katie Hinkle made moves in the bottom of the second for LIU's fifth run. She singled, and stole both second and third to put herself in scoring position. Lyman brought her home with a sac fly to right field.
- Lyman also had an RBI single in the bottom of the third that would make it 6-0 Sharks.
- And in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded, Griffin singled to center field, bringing in two more runs to give LIU the 8-0 lead.
- In the top of the fifth, Woodson needed just ten pitches to retire the side, and the Sharks took the game in five innings, 8-0.
GAME TWO
- The Sharks put up 15 runs in game two.
- Senior Kiana Cisneros led the way, going 3-for-3 with four RBI, while Samantha Garcia was 2-for-3 with three RBI, and Ryleigh Bermea had a tworun homer for her two RBI.
- The Sharks put six runs on the board in the first inning. Granado's double would bring one in, and then a single by Cisneros added another. Garcia would hit a double to right center to score two more, before Bermea's homer cleared the bases and put LIU up. 6-0.
- In the bottom of the second, two walks set the plate for Cisneros, who had a triple down the right field line that would make it 8-0. Garcia would bring her home from third on the next at bat with an RBI single, and LIU led, 9-0.
- The Sharks would widen the lead in the third. Hinkle had a lead-off double, and scored on an RBI single from Lyman. A sac fly from Granado would add another, and Cisneros would hit a single to left field that scored one more, putting LIU up. 12-1.
- Merrimack would get five runs up in the top of the fourth, cutting the lead to 12-6, but LIU answered in the bottom of the frame.
- Hinkle would double up the middle to score a run, and she was advanced to third on a perfectly executed bunt by freshman Alyssa Okada. She beat the throw, and stole second to put two Sharks in scoring position. Hinkle would come home on a wild pitch, and two batters later, Okada also came home on a wild pitch. The speedy freshman's score put LIU up, 15-6.
- In the top of the fifth, Victoria Lowe came in to pitch for the Sharks, and shut the Warriors down, using just 12 pitches to retire the side, and clinch the 15-6 win for LIU.
- Senior Haley Irvis (2-0) got the win on the mound for LIU.
Up next, the Sharks take on local rival Wagner in a midweek series, Tuesday, April 13 and Wednesday, April 14 on Staten Island.
