Brookville, N.Y. – Despite falling in the opening game to the University of Bridgeport, the LIU Post softball team bounced back with a big win in an elimination game against Saint Thomas Aquinas on day two of the East Coast Conference Championship on Friday, May 3.
 
The Pioneers racked up 17 hits in game two, including three-hit efforts by senior Julia Seader and sophomores Hanna Finkelstein and Breanna Klaiber. With her three hits, Seader ties Melissa Medina for the most hits in LIU Post program history with 294 on her career. Junior Abbey Fortin added two hits, including a no-doubt grand slam just inside the left-field foul pole to break the game open during the fifth inning.
 
ECC Pitcher of the Year, Hannah Olshevski, earned her 22nd victory after allowing just two earned runs during the complete-game.
 
LIU Post racked up four hits during the first inning, scoring twice on RBI-singles by Finkelstein and senior Leah Mele. The Spartans responded with two runs of their own, however, during the bottom of the inning to tie the score after the first frame. A leadoff single and a wild pitch put Fortin on second base during the third inning and Klaiber delivered an RBI-single during her breakout game to spark a three-run inning. Klaiber added another RBI-single during the fourth stanza, giving LIU Post a 6-3 lead at the midway point of the contest.
 
Back-to-back singles by senior Ashley Melendez and sophomore Patricia Dun put two runners on base to start the top of the fifth for LIU Post. A sacrifice bunt by junior Allie Laird advanced both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and the Spartans pitched around Seader to load the bases with one out. It took just one pitch for Fortin to put the game out of reach for good when she crushed a ball over the left-field fence, giving the Pioneers a 10-3 lead. Finkelstein delivered a two-run double during the final inning for the 12-3 final tally.
 
LIU Post is set for a rematch with Bridgeport for the ECC Championship tomorrow afternoon at the LIU Post Softball Complex. The Pioneers will need two victories against the Purple Knights to capture the ECC title for the second-consecutive season. Game one is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.

Provided by the LIU Post Sports Information Department.