DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by a walk-off single in the 9
th inning from junior outfielder
Kinu Takasugi in game one, the UMass Dartmouth softball team completed the sweep over Brandeis in doubleheader action on Wednesday. The Corsairs have swept three straight doubleheaders since returning from THE Spring Games in mid March. The 3-2 win in game one followed by a 3-1 victory in a five-inning game two (shortened due to darkness) moved the Corsairs to 10-6 overall, while the Judges slide to 4-7 overall.
In a low-scoring game one where Brandeis got on the board first in the third inning, UMass Dartmouth trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore second baseman
Emma Talpey got things rolling with a one out single through the left side of the infield. On deck was sophomore third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux, who crushed a double to left center field that put two runners in scoring position. It was a sac fly off the bat of sophomore outfielder
Sydney Menz that brought in the Corsairs' first run of the day. Junior outfielder
Jill Walsh followed her up with an RBI single to right field, as the Corsairs claimed a 2-1 lead going into the seventh.
The Judges responded in the top of the seventh inning, starting with a one out triple from freshman first baseman Brooke Boehmer. Boehmer was brought in on a long sac fly off the bat of junior infielder Fiona Doiron, forcing extras in game one.
UMass Dartmouth's senior hurler
Kaitlyn Shirshac escaped trouble in both the eighth and ninth innings, keeping the score tied going into the bottom of the ninth. After senior shortstop
Larissa Piessens bunted the starting runner over to third, Takasugi stepped to the box and crushed a walk-off single to left field. The Corsairs took game one by a score of 3-2 in nine innings.
Shirshac had another great game from the thrower's circle to earn her sixth win of the season. She allowed two runs on just three hits with three strikeouts. The Corsairs bats were led by Walsh's 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Takasugi was 2-for-5 with the game-winning hit. Talpey went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Game two saw Brandeis jump to an early lead once again when sophomore outfielder Bells Burdenski hit a solo-homer over the left field fence in the first inning. Burdenski's homerun would be the only run UMD junior pitcher
Rahne Turley would allow all game. The Corsairs evened it up right away in the bottom of the first when a fielding error brought in Takasugi after her leadoff walk and two stolen bases.
UMass Dartmouth took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when leadoff batter, senior first baseman
Hailey Lyons crushed her first homer of the season. With the light dwindling in the bottom of the fifth, the Corsairs added to their lead. Takasugi got it started once again with a leadoff infield single. Takasugi advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then stole third, setting the plate for Talpey with one out. Talpey was able to bring in the run on a groundout to the right side of the infield.
Turley retired the side in the top of the sixth inning, before the umpires called the game due to darkness with UMD on top, 3-1. Turley had a great outing, allowing one run on three hits with one strikeout. Leading the bats for the Corsairs was Takasugi again, who went 1-for-1 with a walk and scored twice. Talpey went 0-for-3 but drove in two RBI's. Lyons was 1-for-2 and crushed her first homer of the season.
UMass Dartmouth softball is back at it on Saturday, hosting Eastern Connecticut in their first conference doubleheader of the season. Game one is scheduled for a 1:00pm first pitch in Dartmouth.
