GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The LIU Post softball team came up short on a marathon afternoon against local rival Adelphi University March 15, falling 4-3 in a 12-inning battle during game one before coming up short 6-2 in game two.
 
Junior Julia Seader led the Pioneers offensively, compiling four hits and three runs batted in for the day. Sophomore Megan Sneeden and freshman Breanna Klaiber added three hits, while sophomore Abbey Fortin extended her current hitting streak to 10 games with a solo home run in game one and a single in game two.
 
In the circle, junior Hannah Olshevski tossed nine innings during game one, allowing three unearned runs and striking out four. Sophomore Katie Humhej added 7.2 innings on the day, while freshman Hanna Finkelstein allowed one unearned run during a single inning of work.
 
Game One – Adelphi 4, LIU Post 3 (12 Inn.)
 
The Pioneers and Panthers battled for nearly four hours during the front end of the doubleheader, as Adelphi came from behind and eventually outlasted LIU Post 4-3 in 12 innings.

Fortin opened the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the second inning and Olshevski kept Adelphi scoreless after stranding two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third to keep the lead at 1-0. In the top of the fifth, Seader sent a two-out double to right field, plating two runs to extend the lead to 3-0 and the Pioneers entered the bottom of the seventh ahead by three runs.
 
The Panthers were not about to go down without a fight, however. On the first batter of the frame, the Pioneers allowed baserunner on a throwing error, but Olshevski shrugged off another single by inducing a groundout for the second out of the inning. The Panthers got on the board with an infield single, and Breanna Martini followed up with a two-run base hit to center field to tie the score 3-3, forcing extra innings.
 
LIU Post threatened in the top of the ninth, putting two runners on base with no outs, but after a sacrifice bunt, the Pioneers were gunned down at the plate attempting to score on a ground ball to third. The Pioneers eventually stranded the bases loaded and the game remained tied. Adelphi looked just as threatening in the bottom half of the frame, loading the bases with two outs but Olshevski worked out of the jam against her final batter of the afternoon. The Pioneers had another chance in the top of the 12th, putting runners on first and second with one out before the Panthers turned a double-play to end the threat.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Martini led off with a single through the left side for Adelphi. After a walk put two runners on with nobody out, Humhej retired the next two batters in an attempt to end the threat once again, but this time Adelphi had the response. Emily Turney singled through the left side of the infield, and despite a close play at the plate, Christina Rizzi slid around the tag to give the Panthers the walk-off victory.
 
Game Two – Adelphi 6, LIU Post 2
 
The Panthers struck first in the back end of the doubleheader, scoring one run in the first on an RBI-single by Martini. The Pioneers countered, however, with an RBI-double by Klaiber in the top of the second to score Fortin and make it 1-1.
 
The tie did not last long though, as Adelphi scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead. LIU Post stranded three runners in scoring position over its next three at-bats and Adelphi took advantage of a Pioneer error to plate two more unearned runs and carried a 6-1 lead into the final Pioneer at-bat.
 
Despite trailing by six, Sneeden led off with a walk, and the Pioneers eventually loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh. Seader kept hopes alive with an RBI-single, but Adelphi forced a groundout to end the contest and drop the Pioneers to 4-6 on the season.
 
The Pioneers are scheduled to make their home debut on Saturday, March 17 against American International College at 12:00 p.m. Fans are encouraged to check www.liupostpioneers.com or follow us on Twitter @LIUPostPioneers for schedule updates.