Dartmouth Softball Splits with Cornell in Ivy Championships, Deciding Game Tomorrow

Saturday, May 2

Ithaca, N.Y.

12:30 p.m.

Dartmouth College

Cornell

Dartmouth Softball Splits with Cornell in Ivy Championships, Deciding Game Tomorrow

5/2/2009 4:00:00 PM | Softball

By: Dartmouth

ITHACA, N.Y. - In the best-of-three series to determine the Ivy League Champion, the Dartmouth softball team bounced back from a 4-0 loss to Cornell in Game One to plate five of its own and take a 5-1 victory in Game Two. The two will meet tomorrow at 12:30 for the deciding game as the Ivy League Championship is still on the line.

Nikki Yee (Martinez, Calif.) began with a bloop single over shortstop with Dartmouth's first hit of the game. Another bloop by Molly Khalil (Seal Beach, Calif.) put Big Green runners at the corners with two outs. But a strikeout by Cornell pitcher Elizabeth Dalrymple ended the inning.

A leadoff single by the Big Red gave Cornell its first hit of the game. But the Dartmouth defense snagged a pop up and threw Devon March out trying to steal second base to close out the frame.

Ashley Garvey began the Big Red's second inning with a hard hit ball past Christy Autin (Harwood Heights, Ill.) at short and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A double to the fence by Jessy Berkey gave the home team the first run across. Another hit by Vanessa Leonhard scored one more as Cornell took a 2-0 lead at the end of two.

Three singles up the middle by Cornell plated one more as the Big Red threatened to break things open with one out in the bottom of the third. But Big Green pitcher Hillary Barker (Duvall, Wash.) seemed to settle down and get her first strikeout of the game. Unfortunately the control was short-lived as Barker walked the next batter to load the bases for Ali Tomlinson. But great defense by Autin and Kirsten Costello (Windsor, N.Y.) ended the inning and kept the damage to just one run.

Ashley Gleason (Costa Mesa, Calif.) began the fourth off with a single to right field but three straight outs would strand her there as Dartmouth struggled to get its offense going.

Cornell kept the hits coming after a single through the right side and then a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second but the Big Green defense proved stellar.

Audrey Kolodziej (Morton Grove, Ill.) scored Dartmouth's first extra-base hit of the game with a leadoff double to right center in the top of the fifth but she would stay there as the Big Green had stranded four through five innings.

A wild pitch scored another one for Cornell as the home team lead, 4-0 after five complete.

A three up-three down seventh inning for the Big Green ended the game as the Big Red took the victory in the first game. Four Cornell players had two hits each as the Big Red finished with nine hits on the day.

Dalrymple improved to 18-3 as she went the complete game with seven strikeouts.

For Dartmouth, Yee, Gleason, Khalil and Kolodziej were the only Big Green players to get hits. Barker fell to 8-13 on the season with the loss. She went the complete game, giving up four earned runs with two strikeouts.

Game Two had Cornell threatening in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out. Meg Risica plated the first run with a sac fly to center field but the runners would stay and first and third as Dartmouth was looking to get the run back in the bottom of the frame.

The Big Green began it's half of the inning with a single and an error to put Costello and Yee on first and second. Dartmouth's first of the game by Parker to left field plated the tying run as Dartmouth still threatened with runners at first and second. A lineout to third base ended the inning as the two stayed tied at 1-1.

The Big Green defense proved strong in the top of the second as the Big Red went down in order. Dartmouth tacked on two more off triples by Yee and Autin as the Big Green began to hit pitcher Ali Tomlinson.

Cornell came right back in the second and threatened early as a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third. But Dartmouth's defense and pitcher Devin Lindsay (Whittier, Calif.) ended the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth a line drive to left field by Meghan Everett (Flemington, N.J.) gave Dartmouth a base runner. A hit to short by Autin put runners at second and third as Costello hit into a fielders choice, advacing Everett to third base. A Yee single to left field scored Everett as it was suddenly 4-1 Dartmouth.

A walk to Parker in the fifth had the Big Green with a chance to add more but two straight strikeouts by Tomlinson made it two outs before an error by second base put Everett on as Parker moved to second. A third strikeout ended the inning as Dartmouth had stranded eight through five innings.

The visitors tacked on one more when Elise Menaker at third basemen recorded two straight errors, allowing Gleason to score from second. The Big Red bats looked to come alive in the top of the seventh when Leonhard led off with a single to center field. But two groundouts and a strikeout by Lindsay ended the inning and gave Dartmouth the 5-1 victory.

Yee and Autin both recorded two hits in the game whiel Alison Intihar and Menaker each had two for Cornell. Lindsay earned her ninth win of the season as she went the complete game, striking out a season-high six. Tomlinson took the loss for Cornell as she went the full game with five strikeouts.

The two teams will now meet tomorrow at 12:30 pm to determine the Ivy League champion.