Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The fourth-seeded LIU Post softball team staved off elimination Saturday with a 3-2 nine-inning win over second-seeded Molloy College in an East Coast Conference Championship tilt at Bob Klein Field.
The victory sends the Pioneers (25-25) to an elimination game against third-seeded New York Institute of Technology at 6 p.m. at the Rockville Centre Sports Complex. The winner of that contest will move on to face top-seeded Mercy College for the ECC title on Sunday.
Trailing 2-0 through five innings, the green and gold leveled the score in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer by sophomore catcher Julia Seader (Piscataway, N.J.).
The game then went to extra innings, before the visitors took the lead for good in the ninth.
After back-to-back one-out walks to Seader and freshman outfielder Abbey Fortin (Langley, British Columbia, Canada) in the frame, sophomore designated player Ashley Melendez (Levittown, N.Y.) lined an RBI single through the left side to put LIU Post in front.
Freshman pitcher Katie Humhej (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) earned the win, after throwing five innings of scoreless relief with a season-best 10 strikeouts. She retired the last seven batters to face her and fanned six of the first seven.
Meanwhile, sophomore starter Hannah Olshevski (Robbinsville, N.J.) received the no-decision. She let up eight hits and two unearned runs and struck out three in four innings of work.
Provided by the LIU Post Sports Information Department.
