BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Pioneer bats came alive for 14 runs on 19 hits as the LIU Post softball team swept the Mercy College Mavericks in East Coast Conference action on Thursday, April 11.
 
Junior Megan Sneeden let the hit parade with four singles on the day, adding three runs batted in and one run scored. Sophomore Patricia Dun added three hits and four RBI, while junior Allie Laird also posted four hits, two RBI and two runs. Sophomore Hanna Finkelstein rounded out the Pioneers with a multi-hit day, finishing 3-for-6 with one RBI and two runs.
 
In the circle, the LIU Post pitching staff was outstanding yet again, as junior Katie Humhej spun a two-hit shutout, striking out three batters. Senior Hannah Olshevski surrendered two runs late, but held the Mavericks in check with three strikeouts over eight innings to earn the win.
 
Game One: LIU Post 8, Mercy 0 (5 Inn.)
 
Humhej retired the first nine batters she faced and took a perfect game into the fourth inning before surrendering a leadoff single to open the frame. The junior retired the next three batters in order, however, and allowed just one more single during the fifth inning. The dominant performance was more than enough on the rubber as the offense took care of the rest.
 
After a scoreless first, Dun opened the scoring with a two-run triple to right-center field with two outs during the second inning. Laird followed suit with a triple off the top of the wall in left-center field during the following at-bat to give LIU Post a 3-0 lead after two innings. The Pioneers scored at least one run during each of their next three at-bats, using a two-run single by Dun during the fifth inning to end the game by the eight-run mercy rule.
 
Game Two: LIU Post 6, Mercy 3
 
Despite the score line being closer in game two, the Pioneers held control the entire way behind a quality start by Olshevski. The scoring run continued as Finkelstein doubled during the bottom of the first to score the game's opening run and Sneeden followed suit with a two-run single to give the Green and Gold a 3-0 lead after one frame.
 
A solo home run during the top of the fourth put the Mavericks on the scoreboard for the first time, but the Pioneers answered with three runs during the bottom half of the inning. Dun sent a double to right-center field to score the first run of the inning and Laird singled home another run one batter later to make it 5-1. Later in the inning, sophomore Breanna Klaiber drove in the final run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to left-center field to give LIU Post a five-run lead.
 
The Mavericks tacked on two runs late but it was not enough as Olshevski retired the final three batters to give LIU Post the season sweep of the Mavericks.
 
The Pioneers return to the diamond on Saturday, April 13 when they take on Saint Thomas Aquinas College at 12:00 p.m.