BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn softball team extended its winning streak to 12 and swept another Northeast Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, improving its record to 25-24 overall and 12-2 in NEC play with two victories over Sacred Heart. The Blackbirds earned a hard-fought 2-1 win in the first game before exploding for 12 runs in three innings to run-rule the Pioneers, 12-1, in six innings in the second contest.

Sophomore Erynn Sobieski allowed just one earned run over nine innings to pick up a victory and a save, while senior Celinna Cosio drilled a pair of home runs and drove in six in the second game of the day.

In the first game of the day, a pitcher's duel broke out with LIU's Sobieski and SHU senior Adrianna Mallory going toe-to-toe for seven full innings. The Pioneers opened the scoring with a solo home run from Lauren Delgadillo, who lifted a pitch from Sobieski over the left-field wall in the top of the first inning to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead.

The Blackbirds responded in the bottom of the first as senior Ariana Lopez drove an outside offering from Mallory over the right-centerfield wall to tie the game at 1-1. The contest remained tied until the fourth when LIU jumped on top.

Junior Kylie Mulholland led off with an infield single to third base, and promptly stole second to put a runner in scoring position with nobody out. A ground ball to the right side from sophomore Angie Vazquez moved Mulholland to third for senior Alyssa Gospodarek, who bounced a single through the left side to score Mulholland and put the Blackbirds on top, 2-1.

Sacred Heart had an opportunity to come back in the top of the fifth, as consecutive base hits put runners on first and second with two outs. But Sobieski was able to work out of trouble, inducing a fly ball to center for the final out of the inning.

Sobieski took over from there, retiring the last six Sacred Heart batters to preserve the one-run win and earn her 16th win ov the season.

In the second game, SHU's Jamie Carlson was a dominant force through the first three innings, striking out eight of the first 10 batters she faced. The only batter to reach over the first three innings was Vazquez, who worked a two-out walk in the second.

In the top of the third, the Pioneers took a lead as Hayley Desrosiers singled home a run with two outs to put the visitors on top, 1-0. Through three innings, LIU Brooklyn had not managed a hit off of the junior righthander.

After freshman Tallie Woodson worked a 1-2-3 top of the fourth, the Blackbirds broke through in the bottom half. A dropped pop up by the Pioneers allowed a runner to reach to begin the frame and after two outs, a stolen base by pinch runner Alyssa Lanktree-Dotson pushed a runner in scoring position for the first time.

A wild pitch during Mulholland's ensuing at bat put Lanktree-Dotson at third base, before a fly ball that was lost in the sun in right field resulted in a run-scoring double that tied the game at 1-1. Vazquez continued the rally with a run-scoring single up the middle that put LIU on top, and another RBI base hit from Gospodarek pushed the lead to 3-1 in the same inning.

Sobieski entered and worked a perfect top of the fifth, before the Blackbirds opened the flood gates in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Whitney West started the charge with an infield single, and stole second base before classmate Ariana Lopez went the other way with an RBI single through the right side that put the score at 4-1.

With two outs and a runner on first, Cosio stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run home run to right-centerfield that pushed the Blackbirds on top, 6-1. Mulholland lined a double past the shortstop and into the left-centfield gap to force a pitching change, before freshman Evie Claussell drove her in with another double that bumped the margin to 7-1.

Another perfect inning was thrown by Sobieski to set the stage for the bottom of the sixth, when LIU Brooklyn loaded the bases on two walks and a fielder's choice. Sophomore Victoria Zamora legged out an infield single to drive home the eighth run of the game for the Blackbirds, before Cosio hit a game-ending grand slam to left-centerfield that increased the LIU lead to beyond the eight-run rule.

Cosio finished with six runs batted in for the Blackbirds, while Woodson finished with the win and Sobieski earned the save after two perfect innings. Over the two games, the sophomore righthander worked nine innings and allowed just four hits and one earned run while striking out nine and issuing no walks.

LIU (25-24, 12-2 NEC) will continue its season with a non-conference game on Wednesday, May 4 against St. John's at LIU Field. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.