Dartmouth Softball Drops First Game to Harvard, Second Game Halted

Saturday, April 28

Cambridge, Mass.

2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Harvard

Dartmouth Softball Drops First Game to Harvard, Second Game Halted

4/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

By: Dartmouth

Game 1 Boxscore

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. ? The Dartmouth softball team (15-22, 10-7) dropped the first game of a doubleheader to the Harvard Crimson (27-12, 12-5) today at Soldiers Field. The Crimson won 2-0 while the second game was halted due to rain in the bottom of the fifth inning, tied at 4-4.
            Dartmouth recorded the first hit of the opening game in the top of the fourth. Ashley Gleason (Costa Mesa, Calif.) blasted a one-out double to the fence to put a Big Green runner on base. Unfortunately the Crimson defense was able to pick Gleason off to keep the game scoreless.
            Harvard got its own double in the bottom of the frame when Lauren Brown hit to the same spot as Gleason breaking up Dartmouth pitcher Stephanie Trudeau's (Spokane, Wash.) perfect game. Lauren Murphy was the next batter, knocking her 17^th home run of the season over the left field fence, setting a new Ivy League single season record, giving the home team a 2-0 lead. Another double with a runner on, gave the Crimson runners at second and third but the Big Green defense would strand the two.
            The top of the fifth had Dartmouth's Alyssa Parker (Spring Valley, Calif.) leading off with a single to left field followed by Leigha Clarkson (Perris, Calif.) reaching first on a hit by pitch. Katie Chifcian (Fullerton, Calif.) moved the batters to second and third on a sacrifice bunt but the Big Green would strand the two as the Crimson held on to its lead.
            Harvard threatened to put a few more runs across in the bottom of the sixth but Parker snagged a foul fly, throwing to home to get the runner attempting to cross, ending the inning for the Crimson.
            Despite a hit by Clarkson the Big Green was unable to get a run in the top of the seventh giving Harvard the 2-0 victory. Trudeau went the complete game with four strikeouts. In the circle for the Crimson Shelly Madick struck out nine batters in seven innings to earn her 14th win of the season.
            Gleason led the second game off with a hit for Dartmouth in the top of the opening frame as the Big Green threatened early. Kelly Fry (Marietta, Ga.) singled through the right side to put runners at second and third but a groundout stranded the runners.
            In the top of the second Chifican singled through the right side with Sarah Bankoff (Lynnfield, Mass.) reaching on a fielder's choice as both batters moved to second and third on a groundout by Kirsten Costello (Windsor, N.Y.). An infield error gave the Big Green its first run of the game when Chifcian came across, setting up a double by Nikki Yee (Martinez, Calif.) that scored two more to give Dartmouth a 3-0 lead.
            A two-run homer by Julia Kidder gave the Crimson two runs in the bottom of the third before Brown went to first on a single up the middle as two wild pitches and an intentional walk put Harvard runners at the corners with one-out. A sacrifice fly brought the tying run across. Stephanie Krysiak hit her second double of the game, plating the go-ahead run for Harvard in the bottom of the fourth as the home team took a 4-3 lead.
            Dartmouth tied the game at 4-4 when two walks put runners on for Chifican who doubled to right center scoring one.
            With the bases loaded and one out for Harvard in the bottom of the fifth, the rain came and the game was halted. The two teams will meet tomorrow at Dartmouth's Sachem Field for Games Three and Four with the halted game still to be decided. The Big Green needs to win three out of the four games against Harvard to win the Northern Division Title. Game time is 2:00 pm.