Dartmouth Splits Doubleheader with UMass Lowell

Freshman Kassidy Williams     

Courtesy: Casey Valentine

HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth softball team’s winning streak came to an end at nine games, as the Big Green fell to UMass Lowell 4-3 in Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader, before getting back on track in the second game with an 8-0 win in six innings.

Dartmouth is now 20-10 overall, and the River Hawks are 6-30 on the season.

In Game 1, many of the regular Big Green starters were given a much deserved break as freshman Lauren Stone got her sixth career start where she ultimately took the loss to fall to 1-4.

After two scoreless innings, Dartmouth struck first in the bottom of the third. Freshman Taylor Ward
hit a one-out double to center field and advanced to third on a ground out. With two outs, junior Maddie Damore ripped a double to right field which scored Ward, giving the Big Green the 1-0 lead.

UMass Lowell answered in the top of the fourth when Sydney Barker doubled down the left field line, which set up Vanessa Cooper for a two run homer to left field. After Dartmouth was retired in order in the bottom half of the inning, the River Hawks grabbed two more runs in the fifth when Tori Alcorn hit a double down the left field line and scored off Barker’s double to center field.

Cooper followed up with a double of her own which plated Barker and extended UMass Lowell’s lead to 4-1. Down, but not out, the Big Green cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Morgan Martinelli led off the inning with a single and advanced to second when Damore was hit by a pitch. Freshman Kassidy Williams hit a double down the left field line which scored Damore and Martinelli to bring the home team within one.

The Big Green nearly walked off with a win in the seventh, when junior Karen Chaw pinch hit with the bases loaded and hit a single, but UMass Lowell got the force out a home. Senior Katie McEachern was the next batter, but struck out to end the ball game.

Game 2 saw Dartmouth’s ace Morgan McCalmon take the circle, where she pitched four phenomenal innings, giving up just one hit and striking out seven to improve to 12-3.

Once again, the Big Green got on the board first when McEachern led off the inning with a triple to right field. With two outs, McEachern crossed home plate on an error by pitcher, as Damore reached first safely. Another River Hawks error put runners at the corners when Williams reached first and advanced to second on a passed ball. Freshman Miranda Greig hit a single to center field which scored two runs to give Dartmouth an early 3-0 lead.

After three scoreless innings, sophomore Breanna Ethridge came into pitch for McCalmon in the fifth and proceeded to strike out the side.

The Big Green broke the game open in the fifth after two base hits and a walk, Williams hit her first career home run which was a grand slam to left field to give her team a 7-0 lead. Dartmouth clinched the victory via the run rule in the bottom of the sixth when Chaw doubled to left field which scored McEachern for the 8-0 win.

The Big Green return to Ivy League play this weekend when Dartmouth travels to Brown for a four game series beginning on Saturday.