PRINCETON, N.J. – With 10 runs scored in just the first four innings, the Dartmouth softball team cruised to victory over Princeton on Saturday afternoon, 12-1, with a season-high in runs scored and matching the team single season record for home runs in a game with four.
The Big Green improve to 12-14 overall with a 6-3 Ivy League mark, while the Tigers fall to 5-20, 3-6 in conference action.
Junior Taylor Ward was the player of the game for Dartmouth with two-run homers in the first and fourth innings, leading her team to the win, while Morgan Martinelli and Micah Schroder each hit one home run. Senior Breanna Ethridge pitched all five innings, where she allowed four hits and one run, while walking one batter, striking out four with one error.
The explosive offense from Dartmouth started early, as Schroder led off with a solo home run on the
first pitch. Ward’s first home run of the game batted in Martinelli and took a 3-0 lead into the second. A single RBI from Martinelli in the second extended the lead, while the Tigers were unable to get anyone past second base through three innings.
In the top of the fourth the road team’s bats continued to dominate, with a single RBI from Schroder batting in Jade Bravo, taking the 5-0 lead and no outs. Yet again, Martinelli showed her impact with a three-run homer in the next at bat, extending the lead 8-0.
After the freshman pitcher Allie Reynolds had allowed eight runs, Princeton was forced to change pitchers sending in Ashley LaGuardia. With the wind still gusty as it was in Friday’s doubleheader, LaGuardia struggled to settle in immediately and allowed Schae Nelson to advance to second on a wild pitch, before Ward hit her second home run of the day and the Big Green were leading 10-0.
The Tigers were able to finally score a run in the bottom of the fourth, on a double RBI from Danielle Dockx, keeping the game alive for the time being but would need to get some offense going to continue playing. The home team switched pitchers again entering the fifth, putting in Caroline Taber to toss the final inning.
With Bravo on third and Schroder on second after being walked and both advancing in wild pitch situations, another wild pitch granted enough time for Bravo to get home and tally the 11th run of the game, while Schroder advanced to third.
A double RBI from Nelson would nail in the final run scored by Dartmouth as Princeton’s batters went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning ending the game.
Ward finished with two hits, four RBI and two runs in her two at bats, while Martinelli also tallied four RBI from two hits and scored two runs in her three at bats. Schroder leads the team in runs scored with 15 after leading the team today with three, and Ward took possession of first place in the home runs category with five on the season.
The Big Green will have a quick turnaround, traveling back to Hanover and preparing to face Holy Cross on Tuesday afternoon in the final non-conference game of the year.
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