PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Powered by offensive onslaughts in the fourth and the seventh, UMass Dartmouth split a Little East doubleheader at Plymouth State University on Monday afternoon. The Corsairs – who won game two by a 9-3 margin – move to 13-11 overall and 1-4 in conference play, while the Panthers – 2-1 game one winners – are now 14-7 and 2-2 in the Little East.
After a narrow loss in game one of the day, the Corsairs battled back in the second contest. Trailing by a 2-0 margin after three innings of play, UMD broke open the game with a five-run effort in the top of the fourth inning.
With two on and one out on the board junior second baseman
Emma Talpey started the rally, sending a bunt single to the pitcher to make it bases loaded. Senior right fielder
Kinu Takasugi answered, pushing the first run of the game across for the visitors with a single to center to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Senior left fielder
Jillian Walsh was next to the plate, grounding out to second as the runner came home from third to tie it at 2-2 with two outs in the frame. A two-run single to right center off the bat of senior shortstop
Larissa Piessens pushed the Corsairs ahead 4-2 and UMD got an RBI double to left from junior third baseman Raelynn Perregaux to make it a 5-2 lead heading into the fifth.
After a scoreless bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, the homestanding Panthers tried to rally in the bottom of the frame. Despite a single allowed, Corsairs hurler
Lily Routhier shut down the side, sending it into the sixth inning with UMass Dartmouth up 5-2.
In the top of the sixth, the Corsairs once again got things going with two outs as Silva walked. After pinch runner
Olivia Ali came on to run, junior center fielder
Sydney Menz belted a double to left as Ali came all the way around from first to score and make it a 6-2 advantage.
The Corsairs continued to make things interesting into the top of the seventh as rookie pinch hitter
Chaylin Cruz Salgado reached on a fielder's choice, advancing to second on a bunt single from Takasugi. Two out and one on the board, a fly out to right by Walsh moved the runners over once again.
UMD took advantage of a passed ball, bringing their seventh run across as Cruz scored and Takasugi moved up to third. Piessens, whose 2-run hit in the fourth pushed the Corsairs ahead, played the hero once more with a triple to right to bring in the runner at third for the 8-2 margin.
The Corsairs continued to press as Perregaux reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Piessens to come home for the seven-run advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Plymouth State threatened in the bottom of the seventh – with one out on the board – saw the Panthers with bases loaded. The home team brought in another run on a fielder's choice, but with two outs in the frame, Routhier got junior Emily Bessette to line out to Talpey at second to close out the game.
Piessens went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three runs batted in, while Perregaux was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Takasugi went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI as Menz went 2-for-3 with a runs scored and an RBI in game two. Routhier moved to 7-2 on the season, allowing just three runs on two hits in the victory.
Game one action saw the Corsairs trail by a 2-0 margin heading into the top of the seventh. Menz led off with a single, advancing to second on an error as she went on to steal third. Walsh grounded out to second to bring home Menz, but the Corsairs were unable to get another runner across to tie the game.
Menz was 2-for-3 with a run scored, while sophomore catcher
Olivia Silva also went 2-for-3 on the afternoon. Rookie hurler
Edy Crawford shouldered the loss, allowing two runs – just one earned – with four hits over 6.0 innings pitched. She also had a strikeout.
The Corsairs are back in action with doubleheader action on Wednesday when they host Western Connecticut State. The LEC games – originally scheduled for Tuesday (4/15) – were moved to Wednesday due to weather concerns. Wednesday's doubleheader against the Wolves will the Corsair Game of the Week! First pitch of game one is set for 3pm, followed by game two around 5pm.
