Dartmouth Completes Sweep of Houston, Falls to EKU

Sunday, March 18

Houston, Texas

11:00 AM

Dartmouth College

4-9

Eastern Kentucky

17-9

Eastern Kentucky

Dartmouth

Dartmouth Completes Sweep of Houston, Falls to EKU

3/18/2018 7:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Dartmouth

HOUSTON, Texas – In the final day of the 2018 Houston Round Robin, the Dartmouth softball team was able to tally its fifth win of the season over host team Houston, 6-4, after falling to Eastern Kentucky 2-0 in the morning action.

The Big Green are now 5-9 on the season while the Colonels move to 16-9 and the Cougars take a 17-9 mark.

Dartmouth vs. Eastern Kentucky
In the first game of the day, Dartmouth faced EKU after taking down the Colonels on Saturday afternoon, but was unable to have the same result today.

The Big Green played as the home team and Eastern Kentucky wasted no time at all, scoring the only two runs of the game in the top of the first as Johnkyria Alston hit a two-run homer.

Dartmouth saw a chance of scoring in the bottom of the fourth as Micah Schroder advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Calista Almer, before Morgan Martinelli struck out and Schae Nelson flied out to end the inning.

Senior Breanna Ethridge returned to the mound to start the day, pitching all seven innings, allowing four hits, walking two and striking out five with two errors.

Dartmouth vs. Houston
In the final game of the round robin, the Big Green started out extremely strong playing on the host team's home field. Micah Schroder led off with a single to left center, followed by a single from Almer and Martinelli advancing to first on fielder's choice, loading the bases with no outs in the top of the first.

Loghan Thomas came up to bat next and reached on a fielder's choice, and Schroder ran in the first run of the game on a muffed throw from the catcher, making it an unearned run. Still with no outs, Claire Bird hit a single through the right side, batting in Almer and Martinelli taking a 3-0 lead.

Dartmouth wasn't finished making noise yet, with Thomas on third and Bird on second, Taylor Ward doubled to right center, batting in Thomas. As Nelson flied out to left field, Bird ran in the fifth run of the inning, taking a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the first.

The Cougars would not go away quietly, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, but the road team's fielding held strong in not allowing more than two runs through the first two innings.

Entering the third, the Big Green found themselves in familiar territory, as Thomas reached first base on a muffed throw, then advancing to second as Bird grounded out. Ward singled to center field with Thomas on second, batting her in and taking a 6-2 lead.

Houston came out fighting again in the bottom of the third, leading off with a home run from Sarah Queen, cutting the lead to 6-3. With two outs and a runner on second, Brooke Vannoy hit a single down the right field line, batting in her teammate and finishing the inning 6-4.

The four remaining innings went by swiftly, as Dartmouth tallied just one hit and the Cougars had two of their own, but neither team found themselves in a position to score again.

Against Houston, freshman Shelby Wilkison got the start on the mound, tossing 2.1 innings before fellow freshman Heather Turner came in for the final 4.2. Wilkison faced 16 batters, allowing four hits and walking four with three errors and struck out one, while Turner faced 16 as well allowing two hits.

The Big Green will continue their time in the Lone Star State, facing Lamar in a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon before taking on Houston Baptist on Wednesday.