Brookville, N.Y. – Needing to win two games on Championship Sunday to secure its first East Coast Conference Championship since 2009, the 17th-ranked LIU Post softball team came out firing on all cylinders by outscoring Molloy 33-14 over the two games for the championship! Senior shortstop Nicole Hagenah (Commack, N.Y.) and junior catcher Aly Dzierzynski (Deer Park, N.Y.) were named Co-Most Outstanding Players of the Championships.
The Pioneers (45-8) put up an offensive barrage all weekend by outscoring their opponents by a margin of 60-28 over five games. LIU Post downed Molloy (30-22-1) by scores of 17-7 and 16-7 to take home the crown.
The green and gold scored three in the top of the first of the opener on a two-run homer by senior center fielder Alexis Gonzalez (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and added another on an RBI single up the middle by sophomore designated player Paige Swantek (Smithtown, N.Y.). Molloy answered with five runs in the first two innings, including a grand slam off the bat of shortstop Nicolette Sinagra.
But the Pioneers went on a tear starting with six runs in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in the sixth, and four in the seventh. Over the final five innings, Dzierzynski blasted two long balls for four RBIs and Hagenah smashed a three-run seventh-inning shot to put the game out of reach.
The Lions tacked on a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings, but it was not enough as the Pioneers came away with the 17-7 victory.
Senior Liz Weber (Brightwaters, N.Y.) earned her 22nd win of the year, tossing four innings while surrendering seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and four walks while striking out one. Freshman Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) closed out the game with three innings of one-hit shutout softball to secure the win.
Tracey Balinskas was tabbed with the loss for Molloy as she worked the final five innings of play, giving up 12 runs on 13 hits.
Game Two had no different outcome as LIU Post won by a score of 16-7. Molloy did jump on the board first with a first-inning solo homer by second baseman Brenda Lee.
The green and gold would come right back with a six-run second inning as Hagenah led off with a homer. Later in the inning, sophomore third baseman Maria Palmeri (Middle Village, N.Y.) knocked home two on a single up the middle, and junior right fielder Samantha Miller (East Meadow, N.Y.) answered with her first career roundtripper as she cleared the bleachers in left.
Dzierzynski added another run to the Pioneer side as she blasted her third homer of the day to center, but Dayna White answered with a three-run shot in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 7-4.
That did not phase LIU Post as it notched its second six run inning of the game in the fourth. Dzierzynski cleared the bases with a double to right followed by a fourbagger off the bat of Swantek. Later In the inning, Miller knocked in freshman first baseman Kayla McCoy (Smithtown, N.Y.) on a groundout.
The Pioneers put the game away in the top of the fifth as Gonzalez, Hagenah, and Dzierzynski smashed back-to-back-to-back solo dingers over the left field fence.
Molloy managed to push across three of its own in the bottom of the fifth, but it was not enough as LIU Post sealed the title via mercy rule.
Junior Megan Salcido (Brawley, Calif.) earned the win in the circle, improving to 5-1 on the year. She tossed four innings of four-run, five-hit, three-walk, one-strikeout softball.
Chelsea Hawks was credited with the loss as she lasted just 2.1 innings, surrendering 10 runs on 12 hits.
On the day, Dzierzynski and Gonzalez were each 6-for-8 with six runs scored. Hageneah and junior left fielder Catherine Havens (Eastport, N.Y.) totaled five hits apiece, while Swantek and Palmeri notched four each. Dzierzynski led the way with nine RBIs on four homers and a double.
LIU Post will now await to find out the selections for the upcoming NCAA East Region Tournament that is set to begin Friday, May 9. The selection show will be aired on NCAA.com on Monday (May 5) at 10 a.m.
Provided by the LIU Post Sports Information Department.
