Softball Falls to #12 Eastern Connecticut

DARTMOUTH, Mass. -The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth squared off against nationally-ranked Eastern Connecticut State University in the back half of this weekend's home-and-home series, falling in both contests by a score of 9-3 and 6-1.
 
GAME 1 | Eastern Connecticut 9, UMass Dartmouth 3
 
Eastern Connecticut opened the scoring in the top of the second thanks to an RBI double from Graduate Student Cassie Woods (Mystic, C.T.) that brought in three Warriors. Senior Alexis Tyrrell (Torrington, C.T.) extended the lead, driving in Woods on a triple.
 
Down 4-0 in the bottom of the third, the Corsairs started a rally. Freshman Hailey Lyons (Hayden, Idaho) flew out to right field while sophomore Lynsie Miracle (Richland, Wash.) tagged up and senior Kylie Fletcher (Dighton, Mass.) found herself in scoring position on third. Quick baserunning from Fletcher brought her home on a passed ball, cutting the Warriors lead in half. The Corsairs would add another run in the bottom of the fourth off a single from senior Jill Richards (Kingston, Mass.) that brought freshman Dyonna Rodas (Warwick, R.I.)  home.
 
With a 4-3 lead heading into the 7^th inning, the Warriors but five more runs up on the board and the Corsairs weren't able to battle back. Richards struck out seven in her fifth outing of the season, going the distance to allow nine runs off twelve hits.
 
GAME 2 | Eastern Connecticut 6, UMass Dartmouth 1
 
The Corsairs closed out the first and second innings with impressive double plays that kept the Warriors off the board until top of the third. A double from junior Grace Leone (Brick, NJ) put the Warriors on the scoresheet. A single from junior Brooke Matyasovsky (Orange, CT) extended Eastern Connecticut's lead to 3-0.
 
The Corsairs countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the third inning as sophomore Sky Berube (Dartmouth, Mass.) crossed the plate on an RBI from senior Leah Major (Fairhaven, Mass.) The Warriors tacked on to their lead In the top of the fifth on a double from Tyrrel and a two-run homerun from Matyasovsky.
 
Freshman Kaitlyn Shirshac (Enfield, Conn.) was in the circle for the Corsairs, striking out five in her third start of the season. Freshman Abby Bedient (Widham, N.H.) pitched an inning of relief and didn't allow a baserunner in her time in the circle.
 
The Corsairs will return to action Friday, April 9^th as they host Castleton University in a pair of Little East Conference games at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Fans can catch all the action at littleeast.tv.