Garden City, N.Y. -- Pitching and offense were the story for the Adelphi University softball team on Saturday afternoon, as the Panthers got a complete game shutout from Lindsay Mapes in the opener before they exploded for 12 runs in the fourth inning of game two to sweep the Dowling Golden Lions, 3-0 and 12-3 at Janet L. Ficke Field.

Brenna Martini smacked her third home run of the season in game two, as she was one of three Panthers (6-8) to drive in a team-high three runs across the double-header. Also tallying three RBIs each in game two were freshmen Nicoletta Cuccio and Lauren Sandelier, who each cleared the bases with a triple and double, respectively, in the 12-run fourth. Nicole Camera also had a productive day for the Brown and Gold, as she drove in Adelphi's first run in the opener and stole three bases while also scoring two runs in the second game for a 4-5 day at the plate. 

Game 1
Anchored by another complete game shutout from Mapes -- her second in a row -- the Panthers broke through for a run in the third before tacking on another in both the fifth and sixth innings to claim a win in the first game. 

After Mapes worked around three walks in the opening frame to keep the Golden Lions (2-6) off the board, the Panthers scratched out the first run of the day in the third after Cuccio walked and stole second to put herself in scoring position with one out. After Martini struck out, Camera came through for the Brown and Gold as she laced a double to right center to score Cuccio and give Adelphi the lead. That was more than enough for Mapes, who allowed just one baserunner in the next three innings to keep Dowling at bay.

Adelphi doubled its lead in the fifth as Krista King and Christina Palmenteri singled and advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. From there, Martini singled to drive in Palmenteri and advanced to second on the throw, but Adelphi wouldn't score again as Camera and Sandelier were retired. The final run for the Panthers came in the sixth, as Danielle Cutuli led off with a single and Taylor Ludewig followed up with another in her first collegiate at bat to advance her to third. A deep fly ball off the bat of Palmenteri scored Cutuli and Adelphi moved one inning away from the win with a 3-0 lead. 

Mapes was made to work for it, as she walked two batters to bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh with nobody out, before she recorded two consecutive strikeouts swinging to move to one out away from the win. After hitting the next batter to load the bases and put the tying run on, Mapes rebounded by inducing a weak grounder from Arianna La Puma which was easily handled by Martini to end the game.

Game 2
After Dowling tagged Kristin Fealy for three runs in four innings of work and the Panthers were held off the board despite getting a runner on in each of the first three, the game changed in the fourth. After Martini was retired to open the inning, a total of 13 Panthers reached base safely en route to putting the crooked number on the scoreboard. 

After Camera singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Megan Lewis drove her home to break the ice for the Brown and Gold to make the score 3-1. Ludewig then worked out a walk and Cutuli reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to load the bases for Cuccio, who pinch hit for Fallon McCarthy. Just missing the top of the fence, the freshman drove the ball off the wall in in left to clear the bases and give Adelphi the lead, 4-3. Palmenteri then singled to put runners at the corners, and the bases were soon loaded again when King beat out an infield single against the Golden Lions' second pitcher of the inning and Palmenteri advanced to second. 

Sandelier came to the plate and drove the ball into the right field gap to again clear the bases and give the Panthers a 7-3 lead, before Martini came to bat again and cracked the ball over the wall in right to make it a 9-3 game. The Panthers weren't done from there, as Camera walked and Lewis drove her home on an RBI double against the third Golden Lion to come in the circle in the inning, before Ludewig walked again and stole second to allow Lewis to score on the throw. To cap the inning, Cutuli tripled to right center to score Ludewig before the Golden Lions finally retired the side two batters later. In total, Adelphi scored 12 runs on nine hits in the frame and Fealy picked up her first win of the season when Camera came in and worked around a two-out error to retire Dowling in the fifth and end the game. 

NOTES
- Martini leads the club with three home runs on the season.

The Panthers return to action on Sunday, March 13 when they open up Northeast-10 Conference play in a double header against the Merrimack Warriors slated to begin at 12 pm. 

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About Adelphi University Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009 and in the past six seasons has collected 16 regular season conference titles, 21 tournament championships, 27 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 President's Cup twice (2013 and 2014), while winning five NCAA Division II National Championships.

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