BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Long Island University softball team opened NEC play with a doubleheader sweep of Le Moyne College on Saturday, defeating the Dolphins by scores of 8-0 and 12-4 in Brooklyn. 

In LIU's first game of the day, the Sharks took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third innings thanks to a pair of RBI singles by juniors Jen Rodriguez and Jaedyn Lincoln, followed by a two-RBI single by sophomore Hannah Burnett.  

Freshman Anais Soto added another run in the bottom of the fifth, scoring off a Dolphin error, and the Sharks scratched off three more runs in the bottom of the sixth; a pair of RBI singles by Rodriguez and Lincoln, and a sacrifice fly by sophomore Samantha Gallegos to end the game. 

LIU picked up right where it left off in Saturday's nightcap, going up 3-0 in the bottom of the first with an RBI single by Rodriguez followed by a two-run homer by Lincoln. The Sharks extended their lead to 5-0 in the top of the second, with RBI by juniors Kaylee Clarkson and Lily Hinkle. 

While the Dolphins cut the lead to one in the top of the fourth inning, the Sharks scored seven more runs over the next two innings. Senior Nyae' Villalta extended LIU's lead to 6-4 with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Burnett opened a Shark scoring surge with a two-run homer to center field. Senior Devon Medina continued with an RBI single to left field, before another Villalta RBI extended LIU's lead to 10-4. Medina scored on a Dolphin wild pitch before Soto closed out the game with an RBI single to give LIU a 12-4 win. 

LIU returns to the diamond on Sunday, March 15, at 12 p.m. to close out the series against Le Moyne.