Dartmouth Softball Defeats Manhattan, Falls to Maryland in Championship Game

Sunday, March 8

College Park, Md.

1:00 p.m.

Dartmouth College

Maryland

Dartmouth Softball Defeats Manhattan, Falls to Maryland in Championship Game

3/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball

By: Dartmouth

Manhattan Boxscore
Maryland Boxscore

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Dartmouth softball team wrapped up play at the Maryland Round Robin Tournament on Sunday, defeating Manhattan College, 5-4 in eight innings in the morning before falling to Maryland, 10-2 in the championship game.

In their first game of the day Dartmouth took Manhattan to extra innings as the Big Green got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first. A sacrifice bunt by Kirsten Costello (Windsor, N.Y.) moved Christy Autin (Harwood Heights, Ill.) to second before a walk to Ashley Gleason (Costa Mesa, Calif.) put two runners on. A single up the middle by Molly Khalil (Seal Beach, Calif.) scored Autin before another single by Alyssa Parker (Spring Valley, Calif.) scored Gleason. Dartmouth then added single runs in the third and fifth to take a 4-1 advantage.

The Lady Jaspers began their comeback effort with two runs in the top of the sixth before tying the game with a run in the top of the seventh. Kristina Walraven got the rally started with a single, then moved to second on a ground out. A single up the middle knocked in Walraven and tied the game.

In the bottom half of the frame the Big Green loaded the bases with two down in the bottom of the seventh but a flyout would not allow Dartmouth to put anymore across.

After the Lady Jaspers failed to score in the top of the eighth, Dartmouth moved the winning run to third on Hillary Barker's (Duvall, Wash.) sacrifice bunt. Pinch runner Jackie Begay (Fort Defiance, Ariz.) then scored on an error to give the Big Green a 5-4 victory.

For the game Costello, Khalil and Parker all had two hits while Costello added two runs. In the circle Kat Hicks (Templeton, Calif.) started the game, going 5.1 innings. She allowed three earned runs while striking out three before Barker came on in relief. Barker picked up the win, going 2.2 innings with one strike out.

In the second of the day, the championship game, Maryland established a season-best totals for runs and hits (15) during a six-inning affair with Dartmouth. Michelle Takeda (3-for-3) was perfect at the plate, launching her second home run in as many days, a two-run shot in the third inning as the Terps took a 10-2 win.

Takeda, who leads the team with three homers, tallied three RBIs against the Big Green.

Maryland broke the game against Dartmouth wide open with five runs during their half of the third, accounting for the team's highest-scoring inning of the season.

The Big Green's first run came in the fifth when Nikki Yee (Martinez, Calif.) singled up the middle to reach first and then moved to second on a wild pitch. After two walks to issued to load the bases, Gleason reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Yee to score. Costello and Gleason moved to second and third on a wild pitch as Costello came home on another wild pitch to give Dartmouth it's only scoring of the game.

In the circle Devin Lindsay (Whittier, Calif.) went the complete game while Costello and Yee recorded the only hits.

Dartmouth will now be off until March 19 when the Big Green travels to California for its spring break trip.