JACKSONVILLE, FLA. --- The LIU Brooklyn softball team threw a pair of shutouts on Saturday at the Jacksonville Classic, blanking Delaware, 7-0, then beating host, Jacksonville, 5-0 in the second game, to extend the team's win streak to five games. During the current streak, the Blackbirds (8-6) have only yielded two runs, and only one run in the four wins in Jacksonville so far this weekend.

LIU 7, DELAWARE 0
Freshman Elena Valenzuela dominated Delaware, giving up only three hits and three walks in 7.0 innings with a career-high five punchouts to earn back-to-back complete game shutouts in Jacksonville this weekend. For the second consecutive day, the California native only allowed one baserunner to reach third base and needed less than 90 pitches (88) to go seven strong on the hill.

The game was scoreless all the way into the fifth inning when senior Schae Dickson singled down the left field line to score junior Katie Hinkle from second to provide the eventual winning run.

In the sixth inning, the Blackbirds batted around with 10 batters coming to the plate, as three singles and two walks led to two more runs and a 4-0 LIU lead. Then with the bases loaded, freshman Samantha Garcia nailed a double to center field to clear the bases, bringing in Dickson, Camryn Lyman and Hinkle to put the game away at 7-0. Garcia had two hits and three runs batted in to lead LIU in the contest.

Delaware's starter Maddi Marsh (0-2) took the loss in the game, going 5.1 innings before coming out for reliever Katie Stahre, who went the final two-thirds of an inning.

LIU 5, JACKSONVILLE 0
Coming off a solid outing on Friday in Jacksonville, sophomore righty Victoria Lowe threw her first complete game shutout of the season, going 7.0 innings and giving up only five hits and two walks, while striking out four batters. Lowe (2-3) picked up her second win in as many days in the circle for the Blackbirds.

The Blackbirds had runners on in each of the first two innings, but finally broke the scoreless game open with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs in the frame, junior Katie Hinkle notched the team's third single of the inning to score Alina Castillo and Kristen Blanchard for the first two runs. LIU also added an unearned run to make the score 3-0.

Then in the fifth, the Blackbirds started off with back-to-back singles from Castillo and sophomore Ryleigh Bermea to put pressure on the Dolphins. Both runners came around to score in the frame, the latter on a Patricia Griffin grounder, to make the tally 5-0 in favor of LIU. Castillo was 3-for-4 in the game with two runs scored to lead LIU in the win.

Starter Alyssa Bilodeau (2-2) went the whole way for Jacksonville, giving up three earned runs on eight hits, two walks, with two strikeouts for the Dolphins (5-7) as they await tomorrow's rematch.

BLACKBIRD BITS

• Junior left fielder Katie Hinkle had two runs scored to lead LIU in game one on Saturday and had two runs batted in (season-high) in game two top top the team again.
• The last time the Blackbirds posted back-to-back shutouts was May 8, 2016 with a road sweep (6-0, 5-0) at Wagner in the last weekend of NEC play that season.
• The weekend will conclude on Sunday with one more tilt against Jacksonville at 12:30 p.m.