PRINCETON, N.J. – Dartmouth softball ended its first Ivy League road weekend on a high note with an 8-0 defeat of league leader Princeton on Sunday afternoon.
For the second game in a row,
Brooke Plonka didn't give up a single run, allowing just one hit in six innings while striking out five.
Billie McFadyen had two of the team's runs, while six other players had one apiece.
Dartmouth (7-20, 3-3) at Princeton (12-12, 6-3)
After a scoreless first inning for both teams, the Big Green really showed up in the top of the second. Laila Hennessy led off with a double down the left field line,
Alaana Panu walked and
Maria Angelino's double drove home both. Both
Izzy Kam and
Emily Lipsett reached on fielding errors by the third baseman, and when they advanced, Angelino scored. Princeton switched pitchers, after which a
Maddie Katona single to center advanced Lipsett and scored Kam for run number four of the inning. Back-to-back strikeouts got the Tigers out of trouble.
Princeton went down quickly in both the second and the third with zero hits each time. In the top of the fourth inning, Katona doubled up the middle and McFadyen singled.
Mary Beth Cahalan's double allowed McFadyen to advance and Katona to head home, while McFadyen followed soon after when Hennessy singled. With another pitching change, Hennessy advanced on a wild pitch and Cahalan scored (7-0).
The home's team lone hit came in the fourth when Sophia Marsalo doubled to right center. That came after two outs, however, and one more fly out left her stranded. McFadyen led off the sixth inning with a single up the middle, advancing when Hennessy walked, while
Kate Farren's double sent McFadyen home for the eighth run of the day. Plonka made fast work of the first three batters in the bottom of the sixth to wrap things up nicely.
On Wednesday, April 6, Dartmouth will open its seven-game home tilt with a pair against Hartford.