Softball Drops 3-1 Contest to South Carolina at NCAA Regionals

Saturday, May 16

Tallahassee, Fla.

12:55 PM

Dartmouth College

25-18

South Carolina

38-21

Dartmouth

South Carolina

Softball Sweeps Cornell, 3-0 and 15-10, on Saturday

Softball Drops 3-1 Contest to South Carolina at NCAA Regionals

5/16/2015 2:40:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Dartmouth

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sophomore Karen Chaw hit an RBI single for the Big Green in the sixth inning, but a pair of runs by South Carolina in the first propelled the Gamecocks to a 3-1 victory over the Dartmouth softball team in the elimination game at the Tallahassee Regional on Saturday.

Senior Kristen Rumley took the hard-fought loss —the final of her illustrious career — as she goes six strong frames and allowed three runs (two earned) with six strikeouts.

Junior Katie McEachern led off the contest by reaching first on a fielding error by Taylor Williams at third. She advanced as far as second, but South Carolina starter Jule Sarratt retired the next three Big Green hitters.

South Carolina plated a pair in the first inning beginning with a bunt single by Ardsley Ard, followed by an RBI double to left center by Victoria Williams. The Gamecocks scored their second run on the next at-bat with a single up the middle by Kaylea Snaer.

In the Dartmouth third, McEachern reached base for the second time with a single up the middle. South Carolina added another run on an apparent foul ball down the left-field line, but it was called fair allowing Alaynie Page to reach second on the double. She scored on the next play, a single through the right side by Victoria Williams.

The Gamecocks nearly added more runs on the board in the fifth, but a backhand stab by McEachern at shortstop ended the frame. With two outs, Ard single to left field and moved to third base on a hit to short left field by Tiara Duffy. McEachern's stab was off the bat of Snaer.

In the sixth, the Big Green got a run off an RBI single through the left side by Chaw. With one out, McEachern single to shortstop and then senior Megan Averitt slapped a hit to second base. Damore then reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners. Sarratt ended the inning with a Rumley ground out.

McEachern finished with two of the five hits for the Big Green. For the Gamecocks, Victoria Williams went 2-for-2 with an RBI. Ard also had a pair of hits for South Carolina, who will take on UCF an elimination game to decide the Tallahassee Regional Championship with host Florida State on Sunday.

Dartmouth's season ends with a 25-18 record, but for a program that has made the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons, the future is bright under Shannon Doepking. The team will return all but two players to graduation — Kristen Rumley and Megan Averitt — as McEachern, Morgan McCalmon and Kelsey Miller will lead the team next season in their senior campaign.

2015 NCAA Softball Tournament – Tallahassee Regional
Game 4: Saturday, May 16 2015
Dartmouth vs. South Carolina

Dartmouth Head Coach Shannon Doepking Quotes:

Opening Statement:

“I think it's a hard way to go out but South Carolina is a good team and they play in a great conference. We had our opportunities early on. I think the biggest thing is that (Kristen Rumley) gave us a chance to win and in these moments it comes down to timely hitting and we had six runners left on base, a couple hits here and a couple hits there and it changes the momentum of the game. I like the fight we saw at the end of the game with our kids. It definitely shows the kind of kids that we have and that we are never going to give up which is exciting.”

Karen Chaw So.,C:

On her hitting approach:

“We always talk about that the hardest thing that we have done is in preseason and where we are at now should be easy, so just confidence is running through my mind. Knowing that we've prepared and that we've done all it takes to excel now, so confidence.”

Kristen Rumley Sr., P:

On playing her last game: “I don't think the feeling has set in yet, it's definitely been a fun four years and I am so happy to have played at Dartmouth and just see where this program has gone. It hasn't set in yet but it will at some point in time.”

On her legacy at Dartmouth:

“From where we were my freshman year to where we are now I am so excited to see where the team is going to go. We've made some huge improvements the past four years and only gotten stronger. We may not have won regionals this year but next year we can bring it to them. That will be fun to watch and I will definitely be here to watch.”