DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The UMass Dartmouth softball team swept Rhode Island College in Little East Conference (LEC) double header action on Tuesday from UMD Softball Field. The Corsairs improved to 4-8 in conference play with the series sweep against the Anchorwomen who fell to a 2-7-1 league record.
Rhode Island snagged a quick 3-0 lead after posting three runs off three hits in the opening inning of game one. Jillian Guilfoyle hit a sacrifice fly to score Melanie Earley home in the top of the third to pull away with a 4-0 advantage. The Corsairs rallied back in the bottom of the sixth inning producing eight runs and nine total hits to claim an 8-4 lead in the game. Senior outfielder
Jillian Walsh got UMass Dartmouth on the scoreboard after reaching home on an error by the pitcher.
Sophomore first baseman
Lily Routhier and junior outfielder
Sydney Menz recorded back-to-back RBI singles to make it a one-run contest. Senior short stop
Larissa Piessens then cashed in two runs to give UMass Dartmouth their first lead of the afternoon at 5-4. Junior
Chaylin Cruz Salgado tagged home on a wild pitch before Walsh sealed the Corsairs comeback win with a two RBI single, defeating the Anchorwomen by a final score of 8-4.
Walsh led the team after going 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and one run. Piessens also tallied two RBIs along with one run and a stolen base. First year
Nina O'Neil had a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while junior
RaeLynn Perregaux also posted two hits on four at-bats with one run.
First year pitcher
Edy Crawford secured the win in the circle after pitching a complete game. She allowed just five hits and four earned runs while surrendering one walk and registering one strikeout on 75 pitches.
In game two, O'Neil recorded her first collegiate run batted in in the bottom of the second to put UMass Dartmouth up 1-0. In the bottom of the third inning, Perregaux tallied an RBI single to right field to score junior infielder
Emma Talpey home and double the Corsairs advantage to 2-0. Senior outfielder
Kinu Takasugi posted the third run batted in after lacing the ball through the 5-6 hole to bring O'Neil home. Despite a late run scored in the top of the seventh, the Corsairs were able to hold off Rhode Island to cement the series sweep with a 3-1 victory in game two of the day.
Perregaux was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in game two for the Corsairs to go along with one RBI. Piessens had a 2-for-3 performance while Takasugi, Routhier, and Talpey each recorded one hit apiece.
Crawford picked up her second win on the mound after throwing another complete game for UMass Dartmouth, moving to an 8-9 overall record. The rookie pitcher gave up eight hits, one earned run, and one walk on 109 pitches thrown.
UMass Dartmouth is on the road for their next Little East double header at the University of Southern Maine on Saturday, April 26. The first pitch of the conference series is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from USM Softball Stadium.
