Le Moyne College announces Bennett Named Ne10 Pitcher Of The Week
From March 20, 2023 post.
Redshirt-junior right-handed pitcher Laura Bennett (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) has been named the Northeast-10 Conference Pitcher of the Week, per the NE10's Week 5 Softball Report, after going 4-1 with a save, 1.01 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 34.2 innings pitched over six appearances in Le Moyne's 6-2 week.
Redshirt-sophomore third baseman Frankie Larobardiere (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Onondaga), who slashed .556/.640/.889 with two home runs, five walks, five runs scored and four RBI last week, was named to the NE10 Weekly Honor Roll.
Bennett pitched 7.0 innings and allowed just one earned run during a 5-4 loss in extra innings to ninth-ranked University of Indianapolis on Tuesday, then recorded the final five outs with three K's to earn a save during the second half of Tuesday's doubleheader, a 6-4 win over University of Mary
Laura tossed a complete-game shutout against Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Thursday, allowing just five hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched during the 5-0 Le Moyne triumph.
Bennett earned two more wins at the Spring Games on Friday afternoon.
During game one of the doubleheader, going up against a Wayne State team that had won four of their previous five games, Bennett entered the circle with two runners on base and nobody out in the top of the fourth inning, and the 'Phins trailing 5-2.
Bennett retired the first three batters she faced to end the inning, then held the Warriors scoreless during the next three frames as the Dolphins mounted a comeback victory with the help of a two-run home run from graduate catcher Cassidy Barrett (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) in the bottom of the fourth. Bennett finished with seven strikeouts and just three hits, zero walks and zero runs allowed in 4.0 innings of work against Wayne State.
During game two of Friday's doubleheader against the Purdue University Northwest Pride, who were previously 8-3 at The Spring Games, Bennett allowed just three earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched as the 'Phins earned a 7-6 win.
In her final appearance during Le Moyne's spring break trip to Florida, Bennett took part in a pitching duel against Hillsdale College's Joni Russell.
The Chargers recorded three hits and scored a run against Bennett in the top of the first, then Bennett made her adjustment and allowed just one hit and zero runs during the next six innings, giving Le Moyne a chance to tie it in the bottom of the seventh.
The 'Phins were down to their final out with no one on base in the bottom of the seventh when Larobardiere hammered a two-strike pitch over the center field wall to tie the game at 1-1.
The international tie-breaker rule placed a runner at second base to start the top of the eighth, and after a one-out base hit from Hillsdale, Bennett got two consecutive outs to strand runners on second and third and keep the game tied at 1-1.
Le Moyne was able to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth with the help of a bunt single from sophomore second baseman Dominique Rinaldi (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville)
Larobardiere went 2-2 at the plate and scored a go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning during Le Moyne's 5-4 loss to no. 9 UIndy, then tallied an RBI on a sacrifice fly during the win over UMary.
She went 2-2 at the plate with a walk during the 5-0 win over STAC, then drew a walk during the setback against Shepherd.
Larobardiere provided a base hit and a two-run home run during the win over Wayne State and reached base three times against Purdue Northwest with a single and two walks
On the team's final day in Florida on Saturday, the Dolphins struggled to get going on offense against the Hillsdale College Chargers. Le Moyne trailed 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh when Larobardiere stepped to the plate with two outs and nobody on base.
The redshirt-sophomore third baseman fell behind in a two-strike count, then blasted a home run to tie the game at 1-1 and send it to extra innings.
After Le Moyne beat the Chargers in the eighth, Larobardiere went 2-4 at the plate with a run scored during Le Moyne's 5-1 win over Salem University.
The Le Moyne College softball team will return to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader at D'Youville University before beginning conference play on Saturday against Bentley.
Original source can be found here.