ITHACA, N.Y. - DeSales University pulled away early and racked up 12 hits as it defeated Lebanon Valley College, 10-3, in the NCAA Division III Softball Regional at Ithaca College Thursday.

The Dutchmen (27-10) will now play Defiance College Friday at 10 a.m. in the loser's bracket of the eight-team, double-elimination bracket. The Bulldogs (28-13) move on to face Ithaca in the winner's bracket Friday at 2 p.m.

Laura Snyder took the loss for LVC, going four innings and allowing five runs, all earned, to fall to 14-3. Val Malizzia allowed five more runs - two earned - in three innings of relief.

Jen Lococo earned the win to go to 12-6, allowing eight hits and three runs.

Shortstop Kate Steiner had a monster game for DeSales, going 4-for-4 with six RBI and a home run. Amanda Kensecki also went 4-for-4 with three runs and an RBI.

LVC started the game strong, mowing the Bulldogs down in order in the first. Things began to unravel in the second, however, as Kensecki led off with a single and Steiner roped a home run around the left-field foul pole two batters later for a 2-0 lead.

Lebanon Valley pulled a run back in the bottom of the second thanks to Chelsea Artz's single through the left side to score Allie Davies.

Things quickly got away from the Dutchmen, however, as DeSales scored two in the third and another in the fourth to go up 5-1. With Snyder's day done, Malizzia came in and was touched for two runs in her first inning on Steiner's two-RBI single.

LVC made things interesting in the sixth when Malizzia helped herself with a two-run double to plate Caitlin Keller and Meghan Donoghue, cutting the lead to 7-3.

DeSales shut the door in the seventh though, as Steiner finished her outstanding day with a wild play. With two outs, Steiner drilled a ball to center that was just out of the reach of Janey Kozlowski, allowing two runs to score. Then, as Steiner was coming into third, Donoghue's throw from the cut-off sailed wide, and Steiner came around to score DeSales' 10th and final run.