CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
 
Championship Dates: Thursday, May 9-Saturday, May 11
Location: Asbury Field | Wilmington, Del. | Directions
Game Links:  Watch Live | Live Stats
Twitter: @LIUPostPioneers | @LIUPSB
LIU Post Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats 
Adelphi Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats 
New Haven Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats 
Wilmington Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats

THE FIRST LOOK
 
Despite falling in the East Coast Conference championship series to the University of Bridgeport, the LIU Post softball team captured an at-large bid to the 2019 NCAA Division II softball championship after posting a 46-10 record. The Pioneers earned the No. 2 seed in the East Region, just behind top-seeded Saint Anselm College.
 
Wilmington University (Del.) grabbed the No. 3 seed and was chosen as the host site for the four-team regional tournament. The Wildcats boast a 39-13 overall record and won three games on Saturday, May 4 to capture the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference title.
 
Adelphi University came up just short in its bid to earn its third-straight Northeast-10 championship, falling by a 4-3 final to Saint Anselm in the finals. The Panthers earn the No. 6 seed with an at-large selection into the tournament after posting a 31-18 overall record.
 
The University of New Haven rounds out the four-team bracket in Wilmington after the Chargers compiled 31 wins against 14 losses on the season. The Chargers also fell to eventual NE10 champion Saint Anselm in the conference semifinals but earned the No. 7 seed with an at-large bid.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES

Adelphi: LIU Post leads the all-time series against the Panthers, 31-12. During the past 10 meetings, however, the series is even at 5-5. The Pioneers defeated Adelphi, 8-0 during last year's East Regional.
 
New Haven: The closest of the three series, LIU Post has won 26 of 44 matchups. During the last 10 meetings, the Pioneers hold a 5-4-1 advantage and swept the Chargers during the regular season matchup.  
 
Wilmington: The LIU Post and Wilmington history dates just six seasons, as the Green and Gold and Wildcats first met in the NCAA East Regional during the 2014 season. LIU Post leads the all-time series by a 6-3 margin and have won the last four meetings.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET

Adelphi: The Panthers and Pioneers last met on March 14 when Adelphi spoiled LIU Post's home-opener with a 10-5 decision. LIU Post bounced back in game two with a 10-2 victory in five innings.  
 
Senior Leah Mele hit her first career home run her lone hit of the afternoon, but matched junior Megan Sneeden for the team lead with three runs batted in. Senior Julia Seader hit .750 (4-6) at the plate, blasting a home run during the opener and adding a double with three runs scored. Junior Abbey Fortin broke out at the plate with three hits in five at-bats, scoring four runs and adding a home run and a double as well.
 
In the circle, senior Hannah Olshevski was outstanding to earn her third victory of the year, allowing just two unearned runs and three hits over five innings while striking out two.
  
New Haven: Just three days after taking on Adelphi, the Pioneers swept New Haven at home with 4-3 and 5-1 victories.  
 
Laird finished 4-for-6 at the plate with two doubles and her first career homer, adding two runs scored and two runs batted in on the day. Fortin finished 2-for-4, reaching base safely five times and also launched a home run as part of a four-RBI day. Sophomore Breanna Klaiber added three hits in seven at-bats, driving home two runs.
 
In the circle, Olshevski went the distance in game two, allowing just one run to earn her fourth win of the season and junior Katie Humhej picked up her sixth victory of the season after allowing just three runs during game one.
 
Wilmington: Closing out the two-week stretch of strong non-conference opponents, LIU Post took down Wilmington twice behind 3-2 and 6-4 finals.
 
Mele lifted the first pitch she saw during the bottom of the seventh inning into the left-field bleachers to help LIU Post come from behind in game two to give the Green and Gold the sweep. The homer was part of a 2-for-4 day for Mele who drove in a team-best three runs. Laird finished 4-for-8 at the plate with a home run and two doubles. Three other Pioneers added two hits apiece, including Fortin who blasted a long home run over the left field bleachers.
 
In the circle, Humhej earned two wins to improve to 9-1 on the year. Humhej tossed 8.1 innings with just two runs allowed, striking out seven batters. Olshevski added 5.2 innings in the start in game two, allowing four runs.
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS

Despite the slowdown during the ECC Tournament, LIU Post is still one of the most threatening teams in the East Region and one of the favorites to advance to Denver, Colo. for the College World Series. The Pioneers rank in the top-25 nationally in several categories, including earned run average (1.93 – 17), home runs per game (1.11 – 17), scoring (6.29 – 25), slugging percentage (0.517 – 17), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.26 – 21), and win-loss percentage (0.821 – 11).
 
Individually, Seader ranks eighth in Division II with 81 hits this season, while Laird is also nationally-ranked with 67 hits. Seader also ranks third in home runs (18) and 21st in slugging percentage (0.811) and 22nd in RBIs (56). Sophomore Hanna Finkelstein and Fortin also are nationally-ranked in RBIs with 46 on the season.
 
LIU Post has shown the ability to hit from top-to-bottom in the lineup, with sophomore Patricia Dun contributing key hits late in the season out of the No. 9 spot in the lineup. Dun ranks fifth on the team this season with 33 RBIs and is a key factor in turning over the lineup. During the last 10 games, Dun ranks third on the team with eight RBIs, finishing just behind Finkelstein (10) and Seader (13) for the team lead.
 
The Pioneers have also seen a resurgence of Laird out of the leadoff spot, as the junior is hitting .433 with 13 hits and a .500 on-base percentage during the last 10 games. Another key contributor as of late is Finkelstein who has caught fire since moving into the cleanup position 16 games ago. During that stretch, Finkelstein is hitting a team-best .458 with 22 hits, five doubles, three home runs, and 17 RBIs. Her .750 slugging percentage and .536 on-base percentage during the stretch are also team-bests.
 
Although both suffered one loss during the ECC Tournament, Olshevski and Humhej have combined to be one of the most dynamic pitching duos in the country this season. Both right-handers rank in the top-15 in victories, while also helping the Pioneers to the 17th-best ERA in Division II.
 

TICKET INFORMATION

Admission will be charged for all fans in attendance for the NCAA Division II Softball Championship. Tickets for adults will be $10 and students with valid ID, senior citizens, and children ages 5-12 will be admitted for $5. Fans that cannot make it to Wilmington can follow along with live video available on the CACC Network online, on mobile devices, and other streaming devices through the CACC Network app free of charge. Fans can also follow along with live stats at www.liupostpioneers.com.