BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The LIU Brooklyn softball team (17-12) will host their final scheduled non-conference game when they host local rival St. John's (15-15) on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. on LIU Field.

2-0 START AT HOME
The Blackbirds got off to a 2-0 start at LIU  Field with a pair of non-conference wins last week, topping Columbia, 8-0 and Hofstra, 6-3, with freshman Elena Valenzuela and sophomore Victoria Lowe, picking up the wins, respectively. In a five inning win over the Lions, three different Blackbirds had two RBIs (Alina Castillo, Patricia Griffin, Alyssa Martinez), while freshman Elena Valenzuela (9-3) gave up just one hit in a five-inning shutout win. Against the Pride, Schae Dickson and Samantha Garcia (two-run homer) each had two RBIs to help sophomore Victoria Lowe earn her fourth win and Valenzuela her second save of the season.

RED STORM OUTLOOK
Marissa Rizzi leads St. John's with a .429 batting average, 10 home runs and 23 runs batted in with 74 total bases for an outstanding 1.360 OPS. Two other Red Storm hitters, Peyton Cody (.403 average) and Christina Melendez (.337) lead the team with 25 RBIs through the first 30 games. Senior Madison Morris tops St. John's on the mound with a 10-5 record, a 3.29 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 110 .2 innings.

SERIES HISTORY
The Blackbirds hold a 24-20 advantage over St. John's, in a local rivalry dating all the way back to 1986. The Red Storm have been victorious once each over the last two seasons, with the last LIU win coming back in 2016, as current redshirt junior Tallie Woodson threw a complete game four-hitter in a 3-2 win.

NEC PLAY UP NEXT
Next up, the Blackbirds will finally begin Northeast Conference play, following last weekend's rain out at Fairleigh Dickinson. The Blackbirds will begin with a doubleheader at Sacred Heart (1:00 p.m.), followed by the makeup of the FDU matchup in Hackensack, N.J. on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.