KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Backed by solid efforts at the plate and strong pitching in the circle, the UMass Dartmouth softball team swept a pair of games on Saturday to open action at The Spring Games at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Florida. The Corsairs defeated Ursinus College by a 5-3 margin, before taking Edgewood University, 8-3 in game two of the day.
Against Ursinus, the Corsairs trailed by a 2-0 margin after the opening inning as the Bears gpt a two-run homer, but battled back in the third. With runners on second and third, senior designated player
Lena Tsonis singled up the middle to drive home junior catcher
Olivia Silva.
Later in the frame – with bases loaded – senior second baseman
Emma Talpey was hit by pitch to bring home the game-tying run. Another home run saw Ursinus regain the lead to open the fourth, but a double to center from Silva in the bottom of the frame equalized the game once more at 3-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, with runners on second and third, the Corsairs pulled off a double steal as senior center fielder
Sydney Menz stole home to take the 4-3 lead. Junior right fielder
Olivia Ali then grounded out to first, but brought home Talpey from third for the two-run advantage (5-3).
Rookie right-handed pitcher
Brielle Kenney was lights out in the seventh, shutting down the Bears with a grounder, a foul out and a pop-up to secure her first collegiate victory. She went the distance with 7.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits with just one walk and seven strikeouts.
Silva went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in, while Menz was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Tsonis had a hit and an RBI, while Ali was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
In game two against the Eagles, the game remained scoreless until the top of the third as a two-run single up the middle by Silva gave the Corsairs a 2-0 advantage. Edgewood countered in the fourth, tying the game, 2-2, but UMD battled back.
In the top of the fifth, a double down the left field line by Tsonis brought in a run and a single to second by Talpey pushed the Corsairs out to a 4-2 lead. In the bottom of the frame, the Eagles pulled to within a run (4-3) on a single to right by Allie Draper, but the Corsairs capitalized big in the seventh.
Talpey brought the fifth run across, doubling to left as sophomore right fielder
Lily Routhier came across the plate. A double to right by rookie first baseman
Bre Fontes drove in Talpey for the 6-3 lead. A single by junior left fielder
Liv Matos, coupled with a double to left from rookie shortstop
Chloe Edwards gave the Corsairs the five-run margin (8-3).
Sophomore righty
Edy Crawford earned the victory, closing down the Eagles offense in the seventh with a double play and a ground out. She pitched 7.0 innings, allowing three runs (2 earned) on six hits. Crawford posted three walks and struck out five batters.
Senior third baseman
RaeLynn Perregaux was 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Silva had two RBI, going 2-for-4 in the game. Routhier was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, while Talpey was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Fonts had a hit with an RBI – both the first of her collegiate career, while Edward nabbed her first collegiate numbers, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
UMass Dartmouth is back in action on Sunday, taking on Keuka College (10am) and Bates College (12:15pm). Both games will be played at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex.
