DANBURY, Conn. – Powered by a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with two RBI's from sophomore center fielder
Sydney Menz in game two, the UMass Dartmouth softball team split their conference doubleheader with Western Connecticut. The Corsairs fell 2-1 in the afternoon game before taking a 8-7 victory in the nightcap. UMass Dartmouth moves to 16-8 overall and 4-2 in the Little East, while the Wolves are now 11-15 overall and 3-5 in conference play.
In a low-scoring game one, WestConn was the first to strike with a run in the bottom of the first. The Corsairs answered with a run of their own in the fourth inning,evening the contest at 1-1. Senior hurler
Kaitlyn Shirshac had a great game one from the circle, pitching the complete game allowing just two runs (none earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts. Shirshac kept the Wolves at bay to force extra innings.
In the top of the bottom of the eighth, WestConn freshman Lindsay Farinaccio drove in the game-winner with a walk-off single, as the Wolves took game one by a score of 2-1.
Game two saw a much different game, as the two teams combined for seven total runs in the first three innings. On the back of a three-run first, it was the Wolves who led 4-3 going into the fourth. WestConn strengthened their lead with another three runs in the fourth to go up 7-3.
UMass Dartmouth trailed by four runs before junior right fielder
Kinu Takasugi scored in the fifth inning after stealing a pair of bases. Still trailing by three in the sixth inning, the Corsairs answered with two runs in the sixth to bring them within one run. The scoring came on an RBI double from junior left fielder
Jill Walsh, who was able to score herself on a WestConn fielding error. UMass Dartmouth trailed 7-6 going into the seventh inning.
The Corsairs saw sophomore second baseman
Emma Talpey lead off the inning with a base hit. Talpey was able to score all the way from first on a huge double off the bat of senior first baseman
Hailey Lyons to tie the game at 7-7. Sophomore third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux continued the no-out rally with a single of her own, advancing the go-ahead run to third. Freshman
Ally Dantas – who was the pinch-runner on third for Lyons – was able to tag up and score the eventual game-winner on a long sac fly from Menz. Shirshac was able to close it out in the bottom of the inning with one runner left on, as UMD took the 8-7 victory.
Shirshac pitched all 11 total innings for the Corsairs. In game two, she entered in the fifth inning and allowed no runs and no hits with three strikeouts. UMass Dartmouth was led at the plate by Menz's 3-for-3 game with two RBI's and a run scored. Takasugi went 2-for-3 and scored three runs. Perregaux was 2-for-4 and scored a run.
The Corsairs continue their week of conference action on Saturday when they host a twin bill against UMass Boston. Game one's first pitch is scheduled for 12:00pm in Dartmouth.
