The Cardinal softball team hosted Eastern Connecticut, ranked first in New England and 16th nationally in Division III, on Thursday afternoon, looking to get back into the win column after dropping two of three at Little Three rival Williams. The Cardinals dropped the first game by a 4-1 count despite not surrendering an earned run—bringing their four-game unearned run total to 20, out of 22 runs allowed overall in that span—but rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the nightcap to force a 2-2 tie before the game was called due to darkness after seven innings.

Eastern jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first game, scoring twice in the second and twice in the third. In the second, a throwing error on a one-out fielder’s choice allowed an Eastern runner on second to advance to third and score on the next play, a fielder’s choice to shortstop. An infield single and a bases-loaded walk followed to give the Warriors their second run, which would prove to be all they would need.

The Warriors made it 4-0 in the third with another two unearned runs. With one out, Eastern second baseman Kim Church—who had scored in the second as well—reached on a throwing error on a ground ball to shortstop and stole second. Church scored on a single up the middle; following a sacrifice bunt, another throwing error on a grounder to short plated the visitors’ fourth run.

Wesleyan got one back in the fourth courtesy of second baseman Sam Epstein ’12. With two outs, Epstein blasted a home run over the left-field fence, her second of the year, to make it 4-1. The Cardinals would get no closer, however, as only three hitters reached base after Epstein’s round-tripper.

Wesleyan’s best chance to further cut into the deficit came in the sixth, when the Cardinals had two on with one out. After Leah Temes ’13 struck out, Talia Bernstein ’11 and Chrissy Bello ’12 hit back-to-back singles to put the Cardinals in business. However, Eastern hurler Molly Rathburn buckled down and retired the next two batters on fly balls to escape the inning unscathed.

Meaghan Dendy ’10 took the hard-luck loss on the mound for Wesleyan, scattering six hits in seven innings of work while walking three and striking out four. Dendy lowered her ERA to 2.07 with the performance. Rathburn, however, was even better, allowing only seven runners to reach base and striking out seven in improving to 10-1 on the season. Other than Epstein, no Wesleyan runner advanced past second base, and only two made it that far.

In the second game, the Warriors again drew first blood, scoring two in the fifth (both earned) to break a scoreless tie. Wesleyan, however, clawed back, plating one in the sixth and another in the seventh. Epstein walked to lead off the sixth and was replaced by pinch runner Allee Beatty ’13. Beatty advanced to second when catcher Taylor Zavadsky ’10 was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Alexis Kral ’12. A grounder to first by Mattison Peters ’13 plated Beatty to halve the Cardinals’ deficit.

Wesleyan evened the score in the seventh. Dendy led off with a single down the first-base line and was sacrificed to second by Tori Redding ’13. Dendy came home on a single by Bello, who was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. Bernstein then grounded out to third to end the game in a 2-2 tie. Caitlyn Grudzinski ’13 went the distance for the Cardinals in the game, scattering seven hits and walking one while striking out one.

The Cardinals continue their nonconference swing with a home doubleheader Saturday against Brandeis College. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m..