DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Freshman
Larissa Piessens hit a walk-off single to boost the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth softball team to a 3-2 victory in game one, and early runs secured a 4-2 win in game two, to complete the Sunday sweep over Mitchell College.
Sophomore
Dyonna Rodas had the best day at the plate for the Corsairs (16-6-1), she went 4-for-7 with a home run and a double. Pitching was solid as well, as only two of the four total runs for the Mariners (10-10) were earned.
GAME ONE
5th-year senior
Jill Richards put together another great performance in the circle. She struck out seven batters over seven innings and limited the Mariners to three hits and two unearned runs with one walk for her eighth win of the year.
After Richards worked herself out of a one-out jam in the top on the first, Rodas started the bottom half with a bang. The sophomore sent her first-career home run over the fence in left center to quickly give the Corsairs a 1-0 lead.
Mitchell took a 2-1 advantage in the third. A pair of UMass Dartmouth errors put runners on the corners and the first run scored on another error. An RBI double then brought home the second run to make it a 2-1 game.
Richards went 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth and Corsairs evened the score in the home half. Senior
Lindsay Chubbuck singled and classmate
Marisa Minore pinch ran. A base hit by Richards and a passed ball advanced Minore to third, and a sacrifice fly by
Ella Beaulieu brought Minore home to tie the game at two.
Richards kept Mitchell off the board for the remainder of the game and UMass Dartmouth won it in the bottom of the seventh. Rodas led off the inning with a single, moved to second when senior
Leah Major was hit by a pitch, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Piessens then sent a slow grounder up the middle to score Rodas and win the game.
GAME TWO
Kaitlyn Shirshac earned her eighth win of the year. The sophomore went six innings, struck out two with two walks, and allowed one earned on two hits. Beaulieu tossed the final inning and struck out one batter to pick up her first save of the season.
Just like game one, UMass Dartmouth brought one home in the first inning. Rodas singled up the middle, took second on Major's sacrifice bunt, and stole third. Piessens then flew out to left field for the RBI to make it 1-0.
Junior
Victoria Rossetti smacked a two-out double in the second, and an error allowed her to score to extend the lead to 2-0.
The final two runs of the day for the Corsairs came across in the third. Sophomore
Hailey Lyons singled and Richards reached on a fielder's choice to set up Beaulieu, who doubled to left center to score both runners and bring the advantage to 4-0.
Mitchell made it interesting down the stretch. A solo home run in the fourth and one more in the seventh brought the score to 4-2, but Beaulieu struck out the final batter of the day to secure the sweep.
UP NEXT
UMass Dartmouth resumes Little East Conference play with a Tuesday doubleheader at Rhode Island College at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
