BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Long Island University softball team (24-30, 21-3 NEC), the top seed in the NEC Softball Tournament, earned a 7-2 win over No. 4 seed Le Moyne College on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the conference tournament.
Following a scoreless first inning, senior Nyae' Villalta put the Sharks ahead 1-0 with an RBI single down the left field line, sending home fellow senior Sarah Wall. In the bottom of the third inning, LIU added a pair of runs with senior Devon Medina scoring on a wild pitch, followed by an RBI double by junior Jaedyn Lincoln.
LIU extended its lead in the bottom of the fourth, with a two-RBI double by Medina preceding an RBI single by junior Jen Rodriguez to make the score 6-0 in favor of the Sharks.
Le Moyne added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning, though LIU responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the same inning, as Villalta drove in her second run of the day on a double to give the game its 7-2 final score.
Medina and Rodriguez tied with a team-high three hits apiece, while Medina and Villalta each had two RBI in the win. In the circle, Wall earned her 10th win of the season after pitching four no-hit innings with four strikeouts. Sophomore Ava Fairbanks received her NEC-leading fourth save of the year, pitching the game's final three innings and recording four strikeouts.
LIU advances to Friday's seminal, taking on No. 3 seed Wagner College at 10 a.m. at the LIU Softball Complex. The winner advances to Saturday's NEC Softball Tournament championship on Saturday.
