Staten Island, NY - The Wagner softball team dropped both ends of a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader at the Wagner Lower Athletic Field. In game one, the Seahawks battled neck-and-neck with the Blackbirds only to lose in extra innings 7-6. LIU completed the sweep with a 9-1 victory in the nightcap.

The Blackbirds came out on top in game one in a hard-fought nine inning contest with an unearned run in the top of the ninth.

LIU jumped out to a four-run lead in the top of the first on a grand slam home run over the left field fence. Wagner responded in the bottom of the frame with four runs of its own, using a RBI single, a two-run double and another run thanks to a Blackbird error. After reaching on a single up the middle, junior Emily Pierce (Phoenix, AZ / Desert Vista) scored the Seahawks first run of the game on a throwing error. Senior Kate Eshelman (Reno, NV / McQueen) cut the Blackbirds lead in half with a single to center field, scoring freshman Krysta Fauria (Yorba Linda, CA / Valencia), who had previously singled. Junior Ashley Olsen (Staten Island, NY / Notre Dame Academy) tied the game at 4-4 with a double off the centerfield fence, scoring Eshelman and sophomore Amanda Garcia (Fresno, CA / California State University, Fresno).

After four scoreless innings, the Blackbirds notched a pair runs in the top of the sixth on a single through the left side. The Seahawks answered right back in the bottom of the frame, plating two runs on a sacrifice fly and a double. Pierce drove in the first run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to right field before Fauria locked up the game at 6-6 with a run-scoring double to right field.

LIU tallied the eventual winning run in the top of the ninth frame on a Wagner miscue. In the bottom of the frame the Blackbird defense kept the Seahawks at bay en route to a 7-6 victory.

In the circle, freshman Terah DeBinder (Cypress, CA / Cypress) hurled the final 8.0 innings in falling to 4-4.

In game two, the Blackbirds scattered runs through six innings, producing a lead that the Seahawks were unable to recover.

The Seahawks' lone run of the contest came via Garcia's single to right center, plating Pierce, who reached on a single up the middle.

Sharing duties in the circle were Garcia, Betz and DeBinder. Garcia (0-5) took the loss, fanning three over 3.0 innings of action.

Wagner returns to action Wednesday, April 7 when the Seahawks head to Manhattan College for a doubleheader starting at 3:00PM.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score