JACKSONVILLE, FLA. -- The LIU Brooklyn softball team swept the first two games of the Jacksonville Classic, beating Harvard 2-0, then following up with a dominating 9-1 win over Delaware to win via the run rule in six innings on Friday.
The Blackbirds (6-6) started off the with a four-hit shutout from freshman pitcher Elena Valenzuela to beat Harvard 2-0 in the first game of the weekend tournament. Then in the Blackbirds' second game of the day, hurlers Haley Irvis and Victoria Lowe combined on a 9-1 win over Delaware in six frames.
Sophomore Ryleigh Bermea, the reigning Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year, had a day at the plate to remember, on Friday. She started with a two-run RBI double in game one to drive home the games' only runs - before hitting her first homer of the season, a two run shot, as part of a five-RBI game, to lead the charge in game two.
LIU 2, HARVARD 0
Freshman Elena Valenzuela earned her first career complete game shutout, as LIU beat Harvard 2-0 in the first game of the day in Jacksonville. In picking up her third win of the season, Valenzuela (3-1) only needed 85 pitches and gave up only four hits and no walks, while striking out three Crimson batters along the way.
LIU was also stymied at the plate, getting three hits in the contest, including a first inning double by freshman Samantha Garcia. In the top of the fourth inning senior Schae Dickson led off the frame with a single and was followed by a walk by Garcia. Then with one out and freshman Kristen Blanchard running for Garcia, sophomore Alina Castillo reached on an error to load the bases and set the stage.
Bermea hit a double to right field to score two runs, for the eventual 2-0 final score in game one.
LIU 9, DELAWARE 1 (6 innings)
The Blackbirds turned a five-hit third inning into a five-run lead and never looked back in their second game on Friday, downing Delaware, 6-1 in six innings at Jacksonville's Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex.
In the top of the third, freshman Samantha Garcia hit a two-RBI single to right field to score Patricia Griffin and Camryn Lyman. Then after the first out of the frame, sophomore Alina Castillo nailed a double to right to score Schae Dickson, to put LIU up 3-0. Next up was sophomore Ryleigh Bermea, who went back-to-back with doubles to right field, to score Garcia and Castillo and put the game out of reach at 5-0.
Two innings later, with Kiana Cisneros on base, when Bermea blasted a two-run bomb to move the score to 8-1. Then in the sixth, after Dickson reached on an error and Garcia singled her to second, Bermea came up big one more time, knocking it into right field to gain an eight-run advantage. Bermea's five RBIs in the game is a team season high, as well as eight on the day.
Junior Haley Irvis started on the mound for the Blackbirds, going the first 2.2 innings, allowing only one run on one hit with three strikeouts. Sophomore Victoria Lowe (1-3) had her best outing of the season in relief, going the final 3.1 innings, giving up three hits, but not allowing a run, and picked up her first win of the season.
SATURDAY'S SLATE
Saturday's schedule will see a rematch between the Blackbirds and the Blue Hens at 1:00 p.m., before LIU faces their hosts Jacksonville to finish up Saturday 6:00 p.m.