BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn softball team had an emphatic win in their home opener on LIU Field, beating local rival Columbia 8-0 in five innings. Three different Blackbirds had multiple RBI, while freshman
Elena Valenzuela gave up just one hit in a five-inning shutout win.
Columbia would only get three runners on base the whole game, as Valenzuela gave up just two walks, and a double in the top of the fifth inning.
Meanwhile, LIU's offense was going right from the start. The Blackbirds would get a runner on base every frame, but didn't start the scoring until the bottom of the third inning.
Patricia Griffin led off for LIU in that inning, and singled up the middle. The speedy junior advanced to second on a wild pitch, while
Camryn Lyman was walked. Columbia then walked senior
Schae Dickson with no outs. Sophomore
Alina Castillo would single down the left field line to bring in a run, but on the next two at bats, the Lions would stop the runner from scoring at home, and ended the inning on a double play at home and first, to escape trailing just 1-0.
The Blackbirds added a run in the bottom of the fourth, when junior
Katie Hinkle reached on a fielder's choice, and advanced to second on the play. She came home from second one batter later, when Griffin singled to center field to make it 2-0.
In the bottom of the fifth frame is when LIU went to work, blowing the game open. Six hits, two walks and two errors by Columbia would allow the Blackbirds to score six runs, ending the game mid-inning. Martinez had a two-RBI double, while Griffin had another RBI single, and Dickson had the game-winning single up the middle that would make it 8-0 and end the contest.
Freshman
Elena Valenzuela earned the win on the mound, improving to 9-3 this season, as she pitched five shutout innings, striking out two and holding Columbia to just one hit.
Patricia Griffin,
Alina Castillo and
Alyssa Martinez all had two RBI in multi-hit games for the Blackbirds.
Up next, LIU host Hofstra on LIU Field, Thursday, March 28 at 3:30 p.m.