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Box Score 2 DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The Corsairs saved the best for last on Senior Day, continuing their flair for the dramatic with a 4-3 walk-off win in nine innings over league-leading Keene State in the second game of the doubleheader. The Owls (15-13, 8-2 LEC) secured game one by a 2-1 score, as UMass Dartmouth (23-12, 6-4 LEC) has yet to be swept by a Little East Conference opponent yet this season.
Keene State 2, Corsairs 1
Keene State senior Mariah Crisp (Greenland, N.H.) tossed a gem in game one, allowing just two hits while striking out 13 Corsair batters. The Owls dropped eight hits and gathered two runs in the second, enough to hold on for a 2-1 victory in the opening contest.
Sophomore Emily Colton (Kingston, Mass.) laced a double to drive in UMass Dartmouth's run for the game, while junior Gracie Trudeau (Dartmouth, Mass.) collected her team's other hit on the outing. Pitcher Hannah Smith (Attleboro, Mass.) put together a solid complete game, allowing two earned runs while fanning four.
Crisp made a statement immediately, getting the top of the Corsair order to all strike out swinging in succession to slide out of the first inning. In their at-bat in the second, the Owls received three hits to get on the board first. Junior Jen Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) led off with a double to left, crossing home two batters later when Shae Crosby (Salem, Conn.) singled to right. Crosby then scored off the bat of sophomore Brittany DaMota (Monroe, Conn.) before UMass Dartmouth got out of the inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Crisp fanned the next three in the Corsair batting order. UMass Dartmouth would finally put a runner on base in the third, when freshman Maddie O'Gryzek (Norfolk, Mass.) drew a walk. She flew around the bases to score on Colton's double in the next at-bat, as the Corsairs cut the lead in half.
After Keene State stranded two runners to start the fourth, neither team was able to get a hit until the sixth. UMass Dartmouth threatened in the bottom of the frame, when Trudeau doubled to right field with two outs, but Crisp secured another swinging strikeout to effectively close the game. She and Smith then traded three-up, three-down outings in the seventh.
The Owls received 2-for-3 performances from both DaMota and sophomore Olivia Indorf (South Portland, Maine), while four other players laced a hit apiece.
Corsairs 4, Keene State 3 – 9 Innings
Senior Day ended in the best way possible for UMass Dartmouth, as the Corsair batters were able to solve Crisp with just enough time to spare, putting three runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extras. Trudeau then got just enough on a ball in the bottom of the ninth, dropping a hit into shallow right with two runners on base and wrap up the walk-off.
UMass Dartmouth senior Rachel Carey (Holbrook, Mass.) and O'Gryzek each went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the bottom of the order, while sophomore Rebecca Field (Brentwood, N.H.) also picked up two hits. Senior Shannon Orton (Swansea, Mass.) earned her 12th win of the season, permitting seven hits and striking out four.
Keene State held a 2-0 lead heading into the seventh, and tacked on a third run when Kayla Votto (Durham, Conn.) drove in her second RBI on a single to right center. Votto would advance to third on a ground-out by Heather Pelletier (Auburn, N.H.), but Orton received a ground-out to third to keep the Owl lead surmountable.
The Corsairs would then proceed to do away with all damage done by the Owls up until the bottom of the seventh. Until then, Crisp had allowed just two hits from the hosts, who then pounded out three in the frame, all driving in runs.
A Keene State error put junior Adi Alicea-Cordero (Dorchester, Mass.) on base. With two outs, Carey stepped to the plate, belting a double to right field deep enough to score Alicea-Cordero. The ninth batter, O'Gryzek, then connected for a triple, sending Carey home, cutting the lead to one and bringing up the top of the order. Colton responded in kind, getting just enough on a single to drop the ball and tie the game on O'Gryzek's score.
The Owls put a runner in scoring position to start the eighth, but Orton slammed the door, getting two straight batters to strike out swinging. UMass Dartmouth was also able to put a runner on second in their at-bat, but Crisp got out of the frame on a pop-up.
In the top of the ninth, Keene State stranded a runner as the defense got the job done on ground-outs. That set the stage for the bats to come to life again. Field led off with a single up the middle, and advanced on a perfectly placed Carey bunt, who beat out the throw to first. Carey then advanced on a Colton grounder when Keene got the force-out at third.
With two outs, both Carey and Colton would advance on a passed ball with Trudeau at the plate. Trudeau then knocked her first hit, deep enough to score Carey and end the game.
Votto was the Owls' lead hitter on the game, going 2-for-5, and five other Keene State players laced a single. Senior Morgan Fallon (Reading, Mass.) was credited with the third RBI. Crisp gathered another complete game, allowing nine total hits, fanning seven as only one run was earned.
Both teams' final week of league play continue on Tuesday, when UMass Dartmouth hosts defending LEC Champions Eastern Connecticut at 3:30 and Keene State welcomes UMass Boston at the same time.
