Dartmouth Softball Picks Up Two Wins with Sweep of Yale

Sunday, April 20

Hanover, N.H.

12:00 PM

Dartmouth College

YALE

Dartmouth Softball Picks Up Two Wins with Sweep of Yale

4/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. ? A three-run go-ahead home run by the Dartmouth (11-21, 7-9 Ivy) softball team in Game One followed by a three-run first inning in the nightcap gave the Big Green a sweep of the Yale Bulldogs (16-23-1, 4-12 Ivy) on Sunday at Sachem Field. Game scores were 5-2 and 5-3.

Through two full in the opening game neither team had recorded a hit as both sides had only been able to muster just two base runners apiece.

Yale got in the hits column with a single to short by Katie Yanagisawa but she would stay at first as the Bulldogs could not bring her home. Yale got another base runner in the fourth after Holly Gutterud was hit by a pitch and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt but two groundouts to pitcher Angela Megaw (Bomoseen, Vt.) ended the inning.

Despite a single by Katie Chifcian (Fullerton, Calif.) and a walk to Leigha Clarkson (Perris, Calif.) in Dartmouth's half of the fourth the Big Green was unable to get any runs as the score remained 0-0.

Megan Enyeart finally broke the scoreless tie with a homerun that barely stayed fair in the top of the fifth as the visitors jumped on the scoreboard. With runners at first and second a hard single to second base scored Yale's second run of the game.

With one swing of the bat however, the Big Green took the lead with a three-run homer by Chifcian in the bottom of the fifth. In the next frame two singles to right field put runners at first and third as Dartmouth looked to increase its lead. A wild pitch brought Clarkson home as Kelly Mallery (Mukilteo, Wash.) moved to second and then came home on a throwing error by the pitcher as the home team went up, 5-2.

Two strikeouts by Megaw and a groundout ended the seventh for the Bulldogs as the Big Green took the first game.

Yale again struck first in Game Two as a single up the middle in the opening frame by Gutterud brought Yanagisawa home for the 1-0 score.

Singles by Costello and Chifcian in the bottom half of the second had Dartmouth threatening early. A hit up the middle by Alyssa Parker (Spring Valley, Calif.) scored Kirsten Costello (Windsor, N.Y.) as Chifcian advanced to third and Parker moved to second. Chifcian crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right field by Clarkson. A popup in front of the plate that stayed fair scored Parker as suddenly the Big Green was ahead, 3-1.

Sarah Bankoff (Lynnfield, Mass.) began the bottom of the second with an infield single and then came home on a single through the left side by Costello as the score went to 4-1 in favor of Dartmouth.

The Bulldogs got one more back in the top of the fifth with two outs. Despite having runners on first and second the Big Green defense was able to keep Yale from plating any more.

Christy Autin (Harwood Heights, Ill.) began the top of the fifth with a double to left field and then moved to third off a wild pitch. Autin came home after a hit to third base by Costello was bobbled. Parker continued the hitting with a single through the left side as the Big Green had runners at first and second but a ground out ended the inning as the home team was still on top, 5-2.

Yale put another runner across in the top of the seventh and had the tying run at the plate but it was not enough as Dartmouth held on for the 5-3 win.

The Big Green continues at home with a nonconference doubleheader on Wednesday against Boston College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm at Sachem Field.