BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Apr. 16, 2015) - A collective five homers lifted the LIU Post softball team to two non-conference wins over Pace at the LIU Post Softball Complex on Thursday. The Pioneers won the opener in walk-off fashion, 1-0, before securing a 6-4 victory in the nightcap.

After sophomore pitcher Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first of Game One, the Pioneers (23-7) and Setters (17-11) never advanced another runner past second base, until the bottom of the seventh.

In that frame, senior outfielder Samantha Miller (East Meadow, N.Y.) led things off with a double off the left-center field fence. A subsequent sacrifice bunt by freshman infielder Jaclyn Hahn (Bayport, N.Y.) advanced Miller to third, but the green and gold were unable to drive her in.

It would take extra frames to decide the opening contest. Pace threatened in the top of the eighth with runners on second and third and one out. However, Martin silenced the threat to set the stage for the game-winning heroics in the bottom half of the inning. Senior catcher Aly Dzierzynski (Deer Park, N.Y.) took a pay-off pitch deep to center for the walk-off win.

In the circle, Martin tossed eight innings of three-hit, three-walk, eight-strikeout ball. As a result, she improved to 11-2 on the 2015 campaign.

Trailing 2-0 in the latter contest, LIU Post cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third, as Miller belted a solo homer to left-center field.

Pace eventually re-gained its two-run cushion and held a 4-2 edge in the fifth. Junior designated player Paige Swantek (Smithtown, N.Y.) then sent a two-out homer over the left-field bleachers to, once again, put the Pioneers within one.

Senior outfielder Catherine Havens (Eastport, N.Y.) completed the rally for the green and gold in the sixth. Following back-to-back singles by Miller and sophomore first baseman Kayla McCoy (Smithtown, N.Y.), Havens hit an eventual game-winning three-run homer ro right, making it a 6-4 game.

Senior pitcher Megan Salcido (Brawley, Calif.), who went 6.2 innings and fanned five, allowed two runners to reach base in the top of the seventh with two out.

That summoned Martin out of the bullpen for relief help. She got a groundout from the first batter she faced, Nikole Larm (Brewster, N.Y.), to earn her second save of the season.

Head Coach Jamie Apicella and the Pioneers return to the field Saturday (Apr. 18), when they face East Coast Conference opponent St. Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill. First pitch is scheduled for noon.