Dartmouth Softball Wins Battle with Liberty

Sunday, March 16

Tampa, Fla.

2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Liberty University

3/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

By: Dartmouth

Boxscore

CLEARWATER, Fla. - A showdown in the hot Florida sun had the Dartmouth softball team (2-7) winning the battle against Liberty University (2-18-1), taking a 1-0 victory in extra innings.

With the international tiebreaker rule in effect the Flames began the top of the eighth inning with a runner at second base. But a popup, flyout and strikeout would leave the runner there. Dartmouth began the bottom of the frame with Kirsten Costello (Windsor, N.Y.) at second. Nikki Yee (Martinez, Calif.) ground out to second, allowing Costello to move to third. Then with two outs, freshman Audrey Kolodziej (Morton Grove, Ill.) hit a bloop single between first and second that allowed Costello to come home.

Big Green pitcher Angela Megaw (Bomoseen, Vt.) began the game sandwiching a pair of singles between strikeouts. Unfortunately the Dartmouth offense also went down on strikes as Liberty starter Dana Wheeler sat down through seven Big Green hitters in five innings.

The Flames loaded the bases in the top of the third off three straight singles but the Big Green defense kept any runners from scoring.

Ashley Gleason (Costa Mesa, Calif.) tried to get her team on the board in the fourth with a hard hit ball to left center. The double was the Big Green's first extra-base hit of the tournament. She was moved over on an out but she remained there as the next two batter's were unable to bring her across.

A hard hit single by Liberty's Shannon McKain put runners at the corners for the Flames in top of the fifth. That hit would be enough for Stephanie Trudeau (Spokane, Wash.) to relieve Megaw. Megaw left the game with six hits, one walk and four strikeouts. But again no runners crossed the plate. In the seventh Liberty had a chance as the leadoff blasted a double to left field but after two flyouts she would be out coming home. The bottom of that frame had Dartmouth with a runner on early but was not able to record the win, setting up the extra inning situation.

McKain led all hitters, going 3-for-3 while four Big Green players recorded one hit apiece. Starter Megaw picked up her second win of the season while Trudeau earns a save. Wheeler went five innings for Liberty before being relieved by Stephanie Ellis who gave up the losing run.

The Big Green finishes up play in Clearwater tomorrow with a single game against Rutgers. Game time is set for 9:00 am.