NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Pioneers had to fight off a seventh-inning comeback in game two, but the LIU Post softball team salvaged a split with Merrimack College in non-conference action March 30.
 
Sophomore Abbey Fortin led the offensive attack for the Pioneers, finishing 4-for-9 at the plate with two hits in each game. Fortin added two triples and three runs batted in on the day as well. Five other Pioneers added multi-hit games, including senior Gianna Gatto who drove in three runs during game two.
 
Game One – Merrimack 2, LIU Post 0
 
Game one was a true pitcher's duel, as junior Hannah Olshevski and Merrimack's Megan Cook battled it out in the circle. The duo did not overpower hitters, combining for just three strikeouts, but allowed only nine hits during the game.
 
The Pioneers had the first scoring opportunity during the second inning, putting two runners in scoring position, but Cook induced a ground ball back to the circle and a pop out to end the threat. In the bottom of the third, it was Olshevski working out of the same jam as the Pioneers gunned a runner out at the plate and forced a pop out to strand two runners on base and keep the game scoreless.
 
After LIU Post stranded a runner on third in the top of the fourth, the Warriors plated the game's only runs in the bottom half of the frame with a one-out triple by Kristina Terrazzano to score two runs. The Pioneers reached third with one out again in the top of the fifth but failed to convert in what proved to be the final threat of the game as Merrimack held on for the 2-0 win.
 
Game Two – LIU Post 11, Merrimack 5 (8 Inn.)
 
The backend of Friday's doubleheader featured much more offense, including a combined 24 hits and 16 runs, including a dramatic seventh-inning comeback by Merrimack to force extra innings.
 
LIU Post struck first in the top of the first when junior Leah Mele recorded an infield single to bring home the game's opening run. It was all the Green and Gold could push across, however, as Merrimack's Courtney Zambello stranded the bases loaded to end the inning. The lead was quickly erased in the bottom half of the frame when the Warriors knocked back-to-back doubles to left field to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The seesaw action continued in the top of the second, as Gatto drove in a run on a fielder's choice before the Pioneers scored consecutive runs on wild pitches and capped off a four-run inning with a two-out single to left-center field by freshman Breanna Klaiber. Both offenses stalled for the next four and a half frames, however, and LIU Post took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh, needing three outs to salvage the split.
 
Merrimack had other plans though. A leadoff double set the tone for the inning and the Warriors got within two on an RBI-ground out, but the Pioneers still looked to be in control with two outs in the inning. Instead, a single followed by a triple to right field put the tying run just 60 feet away, and Terrazzano delivered the clutch base hit to bring home the tying run to force extra innings.
 
The momentum was halted for Merrimack immediately in the eighth inning. A leadoff walk followed by a fielding error and bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out for LIU Post, setting the table for Fortin to clear the bases with a triple to left field. The Pioneers eventually plated three more runs on RBI-singles by Mele and Gatto and sophomore Katie Humhej retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame to help the Pioneers take down the Warriors, 11-5.
 
The Pioneers will remain in the New England area overnight as they face Bentley University in non-conference action Saturday, March 31 with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.