CALDWELL, N.J. – The LIU Post softball team matched its win total from the 2018 season on Tuesday, April 23 when it swept regionally-ranked Caldwell University on the road by 4-1 and 7-6 margins.
 
With the two wins against the No. 8 team in the East Region, LIU Post improves to 38-8 to improve its winning-percentage to .826, maintaining one of the top-10 percentages in Division II.
 
Freshman Jayna Rios collected three hits on the day, driving in two runs behind one double and one triple. Sophomore Breanna Klaiber added three hits of her own, and senior Julia Seader notched two hits and drove in two runs.
 
Junior Katie Humhej reached the 20-win plateau in the circle, allowing just one earned run and five hits during a complete-game effort. Senior Hannah Olshevski struck out three batters and earned the win despite not having her best command.
 
Game One: LIU Post 4, Caldwell 1
 
The Pioneers took advantage of a Caldwell miscue in the field during the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, and senior Leah Mele extended the lead to 2-0 with an RBI-single during the fourth frame. Rios put the game out of reach for good later in the inning when she doubled to center field to score two more runs, giving the Green and Gold a 4-0 lead.
 
Caldwell scored its only run of the game during the fifth inning, but Humhej stranded five runners on base during the contest to earn the win during the opener.
 
Game Two: LIU Post 7, Caldwell 6
 
The Cougar bats came to life during game two as Caldwell collected 15 hits. Olshevski worked out of danger throughout the game, however, stranding 13 total runners on base, and worked out of two bases-loaded jams. It was LIU Post that threatened early but left the bases loaded during the top of the first, and the Cougars left two runners on during the bottom of the stanza to remain scoreless.
 
During the top of the second, Seader ripped a single to left field to score two runs, and LIU Post scored three more runs on an RBI-single by sophomore Hanna Finkelstein and a throwing error to go up 5-0 through two innings.
 
After Caldwell scored one run during the third inning, juniors Allie Laird and Abbey Fortin drove in one run each during the fourth inning, putting LIU Post ahead 7-1. The Cougars rallied late, scoring five runs in their final two plate appearances, but Olshevski stranded the winning run on base during the final inning to help the Pioneers hang on for the non-conference sweep.
 
The Green and Gold return to action for round two of the Battle of the Boulevard rivalry on Thursday, April 25 when it travels to neighboring New York Institute of Technology at 2:00 p.m.