Dartmouth Loses by One to Toledo, Gives No. 1 Florida State All it Can Handle

Recap, photo courtesy of Dartmouth

The Big Green played two hard-fought games Sunday morning

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dartmouth wrapped up the UCF Invite with two more close losses against Toledo and the defending champion, No. 1 ranked Florida State Seminoles. The Big Green finish the invite with a 2-8 overall record, while the Rockets improve to 6-8 and the Seminoles have still not lost and are 20-0.

Vs. Toledo
Dartmouth tied the game in the fourth inning, but Toledo scored the winning run in the sixth to secure the 4-3 victory over the Big Green in game one on the final day in Orlando.

The Big Green collected eight hits in the game compared to five for the Rockets. Sophie Ausmus had the biggest hit with a bases clearing, three RBI triple in the fourth.

The Rockets loaded the bases with nobody out in the second and scored twice. The first run came on a wild pitch and the second was on a sacrifice bunt to give Toledo a 2-0 lead after one.
  Shelby Wilkison entered the game out of the bullpen in the second inning with nobody out and a runner on first. Wilkison picked up a strikeout and a groundout but the run did score on a base hit as the Rockets built their lead to 3-0 at the end of two.
  Morgan Martinelli led off the fourth with a single and was pinch ran for by Emily Lipsett. Loghan Thomas then worked a walk and with two outs, Schae Nelson laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Ausmus then ripped the ball to left center and cleared the bases as she raced into third with a three RBI triple to tie the game at three.

Dartmouth had a chance to go ahead in the sixth after putting runners on first and second with two outs, but a fly-out ended the half inning. Toledo took advantage in the home half of the inning with back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning, scoring the winning run.

The Big Green had a runner on base in the bottom of the seventh but could not tie the game.

Vs. Florida State
Dartmouth scored four runs in the first inning and looked to have the No. 1 Florida State on the ropes as the Big Green led until the fourth and were tied until the sixth inning. The Seminoles proved to be the best team in the country, scoring four runs in the final two innings to beat the Big Green, 8-4.
  Taylor Ward belted a three-run home run in the first inning, while Billie McFadyen also drove in a run for the Big Green in the first.

Against one of the nation's best hitting teams in all areas, it was a three-pitcher effort for Dartmouth. Madie Augusto got the start in the circle and threw 3.2 innings where she gave up four earned on six hits. Heather Turner went the next 2.2 innings and allowed four earned on four hits and struck a batter out. Shelby Wilkison did not allow a run in the final .2 innings of the game.
  Calista Almer walked to lead things off and Morgan Martinelli reached on a throwing error. With runners on first and second, Billie McFadyen hit a base knock to left field, driving in Almer to Give Dartmouth a 1-0 lead. Ward then stepped up to the plate with two on and launched her first home run of the season over the left field fence, putting the Big Green ahead 4-0 at the end of the first.

Florida State would not go down easily as it took it an inning at a time to make their comeback. Cassidy Davis hit a solo shot in the second to cut the deficit to three. The Seminoles then score three runs with two outs in the fourth on a pair of RBI doubles to tie the game at four.

Turner did not allow a run in the fifth and kept the game knotted at four heading into the sixth. Florida State, the country's leader in home runs, used a two-run long ball by Carsyn Gordon to take a 6-4 lead. The Seminoles then plated two more in the seventh on a double and a single to complete their comeback, taking it 8-4.

Dartmouth has next weekend off before they travel to the west coast for the CSUN/Loyola Marymount Tournament starting on Mar. 15-17. The Big Green begin the California tournament against No. 4 Oklahoma at 1 p.m. and are at CSUN at 3:15 p.m.