CASTLETON, Vt. – The UMass Dartmouth softball team earned a critical Little East doubleheader split on Saturday at Vermont State University Castleton. The Corsairs earned a 5-0 win in game two, but fell by a 2-1 margin in game one. UMD moves to 25-10 overall and 11-5 in conference play.
 
The Corsairs have secured a spot in the upcoming Little East Tournament, which will be held next week at top-seeded Vermont State University Castleton. Seedings will be determined once all conference games have been played today.
 
Game two proved to be another pitcher's duel, but the Corsairs struck first on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth as senior centerfielder Sydney Menz singled up the middle to start the inning and later, with one out, senior third baseman RaeLynn Perregaux was walked.
 
Junior left fielder Olivia Ali then singled up the middle as Menz came in to score. As the Spartans tried to get Ali out on her way to second, Perregaux hustled toward home and was safe at the plate. Taking advantage, Ali headed toward third and was declared safe as the Corsairs took the 2-0 lead.
 
Another single up the middle – this time from junior designated player Olivia Silva – brought in Ali for the three-run lead on four hits in the frame. In the top of the sixth, the Corsairs struck again as junior left fielder Lily Routhier led off with a single to right field, followed by a single to third from senior second baseman Emma Talpey.
 
Menz went on to lay down a bunt, beating out the throw to make it bases loaded with no outs in the frame. The Spartans got an out with a strikeout to rookie shortstop Chloe Edwards, but a base hit into left field from Perregaux brought in two runs to open a 5-0 advantage.
 
Sophomore pitcher Edy Crawford was outstanding over the final three innings, allowing no runs and just two singles to post the victory and give the Corsairs their 11th Little East victory of the season. She moved to 10-8 on the season, allowing no runs and just three hits with six total strikeouts in the game.
 
In game one, the Corsairs opened the scoring in the top of the first. With runners on first and second and one out on the board, rookie first baseman Bre Fontes singled up the middle. Her knock brought in Perregaux, who singled to open the frame.
 
In the bottom of the inning, the Spartans answered as a walk and a double to left saw the home team with runners on. A one-out sacrifice fly to left by Alex Brouillette brought in Samera Rideout from third to tie the game.
 
The game remained locked in a 1-1 tie until the bottom of the fifth as Rideout doubled to right center, bringing in Maddy Dudley for the 2-1 lead. The Corsairs had a solid chance in the top of the seventh, seeing both Routhier and Menz reach base with two outs on the board, but Brouillette struck out the final batter to end the game and help the Spartans seal the regular season title.
 
It was a pitcher's duel for the majority of the game as Brouillette allowed just one run on six hits with four strikeouts. Rookie Brielle Kenney shouldered just her second loss of the season (10-2), allowing two runs on five hits with a strikeout.
 
Six different Corsairs had a hit in the game, paced by Fontes, who had the run-scoring hit in the first inning.