Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by two outstanding complete games from senior hurler
Kaitlyn Shirshac, the UMass Dartmouth softball team took both ends of an LEC twin bill with Plymouth State, taking game one by a score of 2-1 before taking game two 6-3. The Corsairs have won 10 of their last 12 games, as they improve to 15-7 overall with a 3-1 record in conference play. The Panthers slide to 8-12 overall and are now 0-4 in the Little East.
In a low-scoring game one, UMass Dartmouth brought in their runs early, scoring both of their two runs in the first inning. Junior right fielder
Kinu Takasugi started it with a lead-off walk. After senior catcher
Dyonna Rodas reached on an error, Takasugi and Rodas executed a double steal to set runners up on second and third. On an attempt at a squeeze on sophomore second baseman
Emma Talpey's bunt, Takasugi was thrown out at the plate. Rodas scored on a sac fly off the bat of senior first baseman
Hailey Lyons, who was followed by sophomore third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux who brought in Talpey as she reached on an infield error. The Corsairs led 2-0 after one inning of play.
Shirshac and the UMD defense did the rest of the work, limiting the Panthers to just one run that came in the fifth inning. PSU's lone run came on an RBI double from freshman outfielder Avery Couch. In game one, Shirshac was dominant, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out seven batters. The Corsairs edged the Panthers 2-1 in the first game.
Game two saw the Corsairs keep their momentum from the previous outing, again starting it off with two runs in the first inning. Takasugi led the inning off with an infield single, then stole both second and third base before being brought in on a bunt-single from Talpey. With two outs and runners on second and third, freshman catcher
Olivia Silva struck a base hit to left field to bring in the second run of the game.
Plymouth State drove in two runs in the top of the third, narrowing their deficit to just one run. While leading 3-2, the Corsairs stretched their lead with another two runs in the bottom half of the third. Lyons kicked off the inning with a leadoff double. Sophomore center fielder
Sydney Menz was struck by a pitch for the ninth time this season, setting up Silva for her second RBI single of the game. Before the Panthers could escape the inning, Menz was able to score from third on a wild pitch, as UMD took a 5-2 lead through three innings. Each team was able to drive in another run in the later innings, but Shirshac and the Corsairs defense proved too strong as they held off Plymouth State for a 6-3 victory.
In her second game of the day from the thrower's circle, Shirshac allowed three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Silva led the way from the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI's, while Takasugi went 1-for-4 with an RBI and scored two runs.
UMass Dartmouth softball is back to it on Tuesday, traveling to Western Connecticut for another conference doubleheader against the Wolves. Game one is scheduled for a 4:00pm first pitch in Danbury, Connecticut.
