DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Behind a pair of shutout victories, the UMass Dartmouth softball team swept a Little East Conference doubleheader over Keene State on Tuesday afternoon. The Corsairs move to 21-10 overall and 8-4 in the LEC, while the Owls are now 7-23 and 3-11 in conference play.
Game one saw the Corsairs finally break the draw in the fourth inning as sacrifice fly from shortstop
Leah Major with the bases loaded, brought senior left fielder
Victoria Rossetti across for the 1-0 advantage. The next at-bat saw designated player
Dyonna Rodas step up, reaching on a fielder's choice as outfielder
Sydney Menz came across for a 2-0 score.
Backed by solid pitching from grad student
Jill Richards, the Corsairs carried their lead into the bottom of the fifth, striking once more with a pair of runs. Second baseman
Larissa Piessens reached on an error to get things going and with one out on the board, catcher
Lindsay Chubbuck was hit by a pitch. With runners on the corners, Menz singled and UMD pushed it to a 5-0 lead as Rodas singled to right center.
For the game, Rodas went 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Menz was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. In the circle, Richards improved to 8-7 overall after recording 10 strikeouts in the 7.0 inning complete game. She surrendered just two hits with four walks.
Game two saw the home team once again jump out to a quick lead as Rodas walked with one out on the board in the bottom of the first, stealing second to set up a run as Richard singled. Piessens reached on an error in the next at-bat, allowing Richards to score for the 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the second, the Corsairs made it a 3-0 margin as Chubbuck cracked a home run over the left field wall. It was a pitcher's duel over the next two innings until UMD once again scored as first baseman
Hailey Lyons singled to center, scoring Piessens who had reached on an error previously.
The sixth inning saw the Corsairs tack on two more runs as Major singled to score center fielder
Kinu Takasugi. With runners at the corners, Richards singled to bring in Major as UMD opened up a 6-0 lead heading into the seventh.
Junior hurler
Kaitlyn Shirshac took over from there, allowing just one hit in the top of the seventh to conclude another shutout performance. She went the distance, allowing three hits with seven strikeouts to move to 12-2 overall.
Richards was an impressive 3-for-4 in the contest, scoring a run with two RBI. Chubbuck had a hit, a run scored and an RBI, while Lyons also had a hit and an RBI.
For the Owls, Liv Whittier was 2-for-3, while Lilah Demmy, who started the game for Keene State had a hit. She pitched 4.0 innings, allowing three runs (2 earned) on six hits with a strikeout. Mia Ferry pitched the final 2.0 innings, allowing three hits.
The Corsairs are back in action on Saturday, hosting Western Connecticut State in a Senior Day doubleheader. Action is set to kick off at 1pm.
