CLEARWATER, Fla. – The LIU Brooklyn softball team won its third straight game Sunday morning at the USF Under Armor Showcase Tournament, beating Chattanooga, 7-4. Senior Erynn Sobieski had the win on the mound, pitching 3.1 shutout innings for the Blackbirds.
 
LIU got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Kiana Cisneros reached on an error, and with two outs, came home when senior Victoria Zamora doubled to left center field. Senior Nereyda Gutierrez made it 2-0 for the Blackbirds on the next at bat, when she singled to right field, bringing Zamora home.
 
LIU added one more in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Alina Castillo reached on a single to left field and stole second base. The speedy freshman came home shortly after, scoring on Katie Hinkle's single up the middle to make it 3-0 Blackbirds.
 
In the top of the third, Chattanooga would get on the board, using two hits, two walks and a sacrifice bunt to score two runs and cut the lead to 3-2. But the Blackbirds blew the game open in the bottom of the frame, scoring four runs to take the lead for good. After Zamora was hit by a pitch with one out, Gutierrez singled and Ryleigh Bermea walked to load the bases. Senior Angie Vazquez was walked to bring a run home and make it 4-2, but the Blackbirds didn't stop there. With two outs, Castillo was able to get on base on a Chattanooga fielding error, and two of LIU's baserunners scored on the play. Aggressive base running brought home the seventh run for the Blackbirds, as Castillo stole second, and Vazquez scored on the throw to put LIU on top, 7-2.
 
Chattanooga would add two runs with two outs in the top of the fourth, but Sobieski would come in mid inning, and get the third and final out to shut down the Mocs. Sobieski (6-7) was lights out from there, holding Chattanooga hitless for two of her three innings pitched, clinching the 7-4 win for LIU.  
 
Up next, the Blackbirds return to the northeast. After a week off from game play, the Blackbirds will head over the Verrazano Bridge to take on Wagner College for their Northeast Conference opener, a double header slated from Friday, March 30 at 1 p.m.