MOON TOWNSHIP, PA. -- The LIU Brooklyn softball team (28-14, 9-1 NEC) survived a slugfest to beat Robert Morris in game one of a Northeast Conference doubleheader, 13-10, in eight innings. Then LIU closed out the series with a 7-1 win in game two behind a stellar outing from sophomore Victoria Lowe to sweep the Colonials (13-34, 4-6 NEC) in Moon Township on Saturday. With the two wins, the Blackbirds are now on a five-game win streak, as they prepare to face the two-time defending champions Saint Francis U. on the road on Sunday.

GAME 1: LIU 13, ROBERT MORRIS 10 (8 inn.)
The Blackbirds scored a season-high 13 runs to win game one in extra innings. LIU scored in every inning, as six players had multi-hit games and the team belted out 17 hits in the game, all three are season-highs.

In the top of the first, sophomore Alina Castillo, the reigning NEC Player of the Week hit a double to left center, scoring junior Patricia Griffin for a 1-0 lead. Sophomore centerfielder Ryleigh Bermea doubled the LIU lead with a solo home run for a 2-0 lead. In the third, Griffin started a rally again with a leadoff double and came around to score an unearned run. Also in the inning, freshman Samantha Garcia had an RBI single to put the Blackbirds up 4-0.

Now leading 4-2 in the fourth, freshman Camryn Lyman earned a bases loaded walk and her first run batted in, to extend the lead to 5-2. Then in the fifth frame with another run across already, Griffin had an RBI single and scored in the next at bat on a Lyman line drive double to center to score Griffin and give LIU their largest lead, 8-2.

But the Colonials scored four runs in the bottom of the frame and cut the lead to 8-6. In the sixth, Castillo blasted her second home run of the season to make the score 9-6 and then in the seventh, the Blackbirds produced another run to hold a 10-6 lead going into the bottom of the final inning.

Junior Tallie Woodson (3-1) who kept RMU scoreless in her first two innings of relief, after freshman Elena Valenzuela made the start, gave up a walk and a pair of hits in the seventh to load the bases for Abrielle McCartney. McCartney, who was 3-for-5 with three runs scored in the game, hit a grand slam to extend the game.

In the top of the eighth, Garcia reached on an infield error to lead off the inning. Freshman Kristen Blanchard came in to run for Garcia and  and advanced to second on a single by sophomore Kiana Cisneros. Bermea was next and sent another single to right field to score the game-winning run. With two on base, pinch hitter freshman Kelsey Day slammed another single to score the runners and give the Blackbirds a 13-10 lead.

Woodson came away with the win for the Blackbirds, while reliever Dana Vatakis, who came in for the eighth inning took the loss for the Colonials. Griffin (3-for-4, 3 runs) and Lyman (4-for-5, 2 RBIs) were a combined 7-for-9 in the 1-2 positions in the LIU lineup.

GAME 2: LIU 7, ROBERT MORRIS 1
LIU's Lowe (8-7) had a strong performance in game two to propel the 'Birds to a 7-1 win in the nightcap. She had a complete game, going seven full innings, giving up only five hits and one earned run. She also had no walks and three strikeouts on the day, as she faced only six batters over the minimum.

The Blackbirds kept the pressure on RMU by scoring two runs on RBI singles by Garcia and Castillo in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead in game two. LIU added a run in the third on a Castillo knock to drive home Griffin for a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, holding a 3-1 lead, Castillo got another run batted in on a groundout, scoring Lyman; then in the seventh, she belted a double to center field to score another run, for a four-run lead. Cisneros closed out the scoring with a triple down the right field line to score two and give LIU a 7-1 win.

Vatakis (8-14) also threw a complete game for RMU, going 7.0 and giving up only two earned runs and getting two strikeouts.

Lyman was 3-for-4 with two runs scored in game two, making her 7-for-9 for the day to lead the Blackbirds in batting. Castillo went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in, to finish 4-for-8 with 5 RBIs in the twinbill.

PA. ROADTRIP CONCLUDES ON SUNDAY
The Blackbirds are headed to Loretto to take on the two-time defending champions, Saint Francis U. (23-27, 7-5 NEC) in the team's final regular season road doubleheader on Sunday, starting at 12:00 noon.