BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 7, 2008) – Senior left fielder Sarah Reed (DeWitt, N.Y.) led off the fifth inning with a home run to centerfield that scored the winning run as LeMoyne College edge New York Institute of Technology, 3-2, during the first day of the 2008 Division II Northeast softball regional Wednesday afternoon at C.W. Post.
LeMoyne improves to 45-9 and will face Bryant University (30-14) in the winner’s bracket on Thursday. Meanwhile, NYIT drops to 29-17 and will face Adelphi (40-20) in the loser’s bracket.
NYIT took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when sophomore catcher Lisa Boystak (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) doubled to right field to score junior left fielder Lia Lara (Tuscon, Ariz.), who led off the inning with a single to centerfield.
The Dolphins got the run back in the bottom of the second when freshman catcher Kimberlee Baker (Murrietta, Calif.) singled up the middle to score senior first baseman Emma Murphy (East Syracuse, N.Y.) from third. In the bottom of the third, sophomore centerfielder Danielle VanGorder (Vestal, N.Y.) led off with a double to the right center gap. In the next at-bat, junior third baseman Caitlin O’Neill (Pittsford, N.Y.) reached on an infield throwing error that allowed VanGorder to score.
The Bears knotted the score at 2-all in the fourth on a sacrifice bunt from junior shortstop Ashley Gosk (Bay Shore, N.Y.), scoring junior centerfielder Brilynn Fields (Aurora, Colo.) from third. But that was all the runs NYIT could muster in the game before Reed’s home run in the next inning.
Designated player Jennifer Farrelly (Latham, N.Y.) led LeMoyne with two hits while five Dolphins each had single hits.
Freshman Jenna Vanacore (Hicksville, N.Y.) earned her 14th win of the season, pitching six innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
Freshman Marissa Brucculeri (Glen Head, N.Y.) took the loss for the Bears, pitching six innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits with two walks.