CLERMONT, Fla. – Powered by a four-strikeout effort with only two hits allowed from senior hurler
Kaitlyn Shirshac, the UMass Dartmouth softball team split a back-to-back, defeating Farmingdale State 2-1 after suffering a tough 8-7 loss to Edgewood College. The Corsairs finish up their slate of games at THE Spring Games in Florida at 4-6 overall. Meanwhile the Rams are now 4-4 overall and the Eagles improved to 9-7.
In the afternoon bout against the Rams, Shirshac was outstanding, she went the full seven innings allowing just one run on two hits with four strikeouts. The Corsairs jumped out to a 1-0 lead with sophomore third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux getting things going with a second-innings leadoff double. Perregaux advanced to third on a single from senior first baseman
Hailey Lyons, before scoring on a groundout from freshman catcher
Olivia Silva.
UMass Dartmouth added to their lead in the fifth, when senior shortstop
Larissa Piessens walked to first. After another walk and then a fielder's choice off the bat of senior catcher/DP
Dyonna Rodas, Piessens was able to score as junior outfielder
Kinu Takasugi slid into second base. With Shirshac keeping the Rams scoreless through five, the Corsairs led 2-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Farmingdale State scored their first run of the game on a fielder's choice RBI from junior pitcher Ava Shorr that brought in senior shortstop Angelina Capuano. Shirshac escaped the inning with just one run allowed as the Corsairs went on to win, 2-1, for her third win of the season.
The first game saw the Corsairs and Eagles put on a high-scoring affair. The contest was tied at 4-4 going into the top of the sixth, when the Eagles separated themselves with a three-run top of the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Junior pitcher
Rahne Turley earned the start in this game, and put away the first two outs of the sixth inning before Shirshac came in as a reliever. Shirshac got out of the sixth with two runners stranded in scoring position.
UMass Dartmouth was able to respond in a big way in the bottom half, with sophomore outfielder
Sydney Menz starting things off with a single to right field. Freshman
Ally Dantas took a walk, setting up Piessens who sacrifice bunted the runners to second and third with one out. Then with two runners on and two outs, Rodas blasted a homerun over the left field fence, scoring three runs and evening the game at 7-7 after six.
Edgewood scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh on a huge double off the bat of Rams' grad student Eslizabeth Malarski that hit the right field fence. The Eagles retired the Corsairs in the bottom of the inning for the 8-7 win.
The Corsairs return to the northeast this weekend and will prepare to play some cold-weather baseball on Tuesday, March 19. UMass Dartmouth will host their home-opener against Bridgewater State in doubleheader action. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 3:00pm.
