Dartmouth Defeats Maine, Falls to Saint Mary’s to close California Trip

Saturday, March 18

Moraga, Calif.

1:00 PM

Dartmouth College

5-10

Maine

7-17

Maine

Dartmouth

Rachel McCarroll softball action versus Cornell

Photo by: Doug Austin

Dartmouth Defeats Maine, Falls to Saint Mary’s to close California Trip

3/18/2023 8:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score vs. Maine (PDF)Box Score vs. Saint Mary's (PDF)

The Big Green split their second day in Moraga, California, finishing the weekend 2-2

By: Francis Forte

MORAGA, Calif. — The Dartmouth softball team finished its California trip with a pair of contests in Moraga. The Big Green avenged their loss to Maine from Friday, winning a close defensive contest, 1-0 in eight innings. Saint Mary's knocked off Dartmouth by a score of 4-1 to close the day at Cottrell Field.

Leila Hennessy recorded the lone RBI of the game in Dartmouth's win over Maine. A walk-off sacrifice in the bottom of the eighth inning secured the Big Green's fifth win of the 2023 season.

Sophomore pitcher Rachel McCarroll recorded her first collegiate shutout in a complete-game performance against the Black Bears. She led Dartmouth to its first shutout of the season and picked up her fifth victory of the year in a stellar performance.

Game One: Dartmouth 1, Maine 0 (8 inn.)
Dartmouth and Maine's second meeting of the weekend featured an outstanding pitchers dual and stellar defense. The Big Green's McCarroll and Black Bears' Alexandra Gruitch held the game scoreless through seven innings of play, forcing the contest to extra innings.

McCarroll and Dartmouth defense opened the game strong, sending Maine's first three batters back to the dugout to close the top of the first. Ashley Frantz and Mary Beth Cahalan earned walks with one away, and Frantz was pushed to third on a fielder's choice. A second fielder's choice closed the inning, as Dartmouth stranded two on base.

Maine placed its first runner on base to lead off the second, as Anna Margetis was hit by a pitch, and was advanced to second on a wild pitch. A groundout advanced Margetis to third, but the Big Green held the Black Bears off the board with a groundout and strikeout to keep the game scoreless.

The Big Green and Black Bears each recorded one hit and left one on base in the third, as the defenses continued to dominate the contest. A double and an error placed Margetis on third, who attempted to reach home on a stolen base attempt, but a strong defensive play at the plate kept Maine off the board in the top of the fourth.

The top of the fifth saw Maine load the bases with two away. Dartmouth was undeterred, forcing a fielder's choice to earn the final our and keep the tilt tied at 0-0.

Maine challenged Dartmouth once again in the top of the seventh, placing two runners on in the top of the seventh frame. A groundout closed the half inning, and a double play and a groundout in the bottom of the seventh sent the contest to extra innings.

Dartmouth handled business in the top of the first extra frame, as the Big Green forced a flyout and a double play. Alexis Camacho moved Allie Ohde, the automatic runner, to third to lead off the bottom of the inning, and Hennessy brought the freshman home with a sacrifice fly to center field to clinch the victory for the Big Green.

The Big Green showed poise in its first extra-innings contest of the 2023 season, improving to 5-10 on the year, while Maine fell to 7-17. Dartmouth's win in the eighth marked its first win past the seventh since April 10, 2022 and its first outside of Hanover since Feb. 26, 2022.

Game Two: Saint Mary's 4, Dartmouth 1
Dartmouth opened the game with by placing two runners on base with one away, as Frantz reached first after being hit by a pitch and Cahalan recorded a bunt single. Saint Mary's handled the situation well, escaping the situation and keeping the contest scoreless.

The Gaels got on the board in the bottom of the opening frame, as Holly Lusk drove in a run with a single to center field. Saint Mary's left two on base and brought a 1-0 lead into the second.

The Big Green were unable to respond in the top of the second, and Saint Mary's took advantage in the bottom of the inning. The Gaels took advantage of a throwing error to bring in the second run of the game, and a sacrifice fly and RBI single extended Dartmouth's deficit to four, falling behind 4-0 after two.

Both teams' bats were mostly stymied in the third, fourth and fifth innings, as the score remained in Saint Mary's favor. Alaana Panu recorded a much-needed leadoff home run in the top of the sixth to trim the Gael lead to three, but three straight outs halted the comeback.

Dartmouth was unable to complete the rally, finishing the weekend with a 1-1 split against Saint Mary's. Panu finished the game with a pair of hits, while Stella Bale and Peyton Kanaly shared time in the circle for the Big Green.

Saint Mary's improved to 8-15 on the year, while Dartmouth fell to 5-11.

Up Next:
Dartmouth returns to Hanover for its first home series of the 2023 season next weekend. The Big Green open Ivy League competition in a three-game series against Penn at the Dartmouth Softball Field. The series opens on Saturday, March 25 with a pair of games slated for 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., followed by the finale on Sunday, March 26 at 12:30 p.m. All three tilts will be streamed on ESPN+.