The Cardinal softball team split last Saturday’s doubleheader against Williams and then fell in the single game the following morning by a score of 5-3, dropping their first series against the Ephs since 2007. Their weekend in Williamstown put them at 15-9 overall and 4-2 in NESCAC West play, one game behind first-place Middlebury (5-1).
In the first of Saturday’s games, Wesleyan jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the 1st and 3rd innings. In the 1st, Meaghan Dendy ’10 doubled to center field, and Dana Levy ’12 reached first after getting hit by a pitch. Talia Bernstein ’11 grounded out, but was still able to advance Levy to second base and Dendy to third. This movement was crucial for the next play when Dendy was able to score off a wild pitch while Levy moved to third. Chrissy Bello ’12 stepped up to the plate and pounded a single to center field, sending Levy home. In the 3rd inning, the Cardinals tallied their runs from a two-run homer from Levy.
Dendy racked up four strikeouts in the first four innings, keeping Williams off the board in the first half of the contest. But the Ephs got their chance in the bottom of the 5th, gaining two runs on two Wes errors. The Cardinals held strong, answering with two runs of their own in the top of the sixth, with contributing singles from Bello, Taylor Zavadsky ’10, Alexis Kral ’12, and Tori Redding ’13. This four run lead was short-lived, as Williams tied it up with a grand slam in the bottom of the 6th. Wes failed to score in the 7th and gave the win to the Ephs as Williams scored a single run to win the game in the bottom of the 7th, capitalizing on two Wes errors.
In the second game, Wes got on the board in the 1st inning with one run. Then Williams took the lead in the bottom of the 1st with two runs. These runs were not enough, however, as a Cardinal offensive blitz ensued in the top of the 2nd. Zavadsky got things going when she reached on a fielder’s choice. Kral’s walk on the following play advanced Zavadsky to second, putting her in a position to score when Redding reached on an error during the following play.
Allee Beatty ’13 had an infield hit, scoring Kral and advancing Redding to third. Beatty stole second, and went on to score with Redding on Dendy’s single to left field; Dendy was able to advance to second on the throw. Dendy was sent on her way to third as Levy stepped up and singled to shortstop. Levy then stole second before Bernstein roped a single up the middle. Wes ended the top of the 2nd with Bello crushing a homer, giving the Cardinals a 9-2 lead.
The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the 3rd, when Williams used three hits and two Wes errors to gain momentum and score four runs, closing the gap to 9-6. This Eph rally was not enough, however, as the Cardinals sealed the deal in the top of the 4th with seven more runs. A pair of singles from Levy, and singles from Bernstein, Bello, Epstein, Zavadsky, Kral, and Redding aided in this second Wesleyan onslaught. The Cardinals accumulated 16 hits throughout the game, led by Levy and Bello with three each. This incredible hitting gave Wes a 16-6 lead, ending the game after five innings.
Williams set the tempo early in the rubber match, leaping to a 4-0 lead after the first inning. Wesleyan got on board in the 2nd, but only with one run. In the top of the 5th, Wes came close to tying the game, adding two runs to its score. Beatty and Levy reached on Eph errors, sandwiching a single by Dendy that brought the score to 4-3.
Williams widened the gap again in the bottom of the 5th with one run, giving them a two-run lead on Wes. This was all they needed—Wes failed to score in the final two innings.
Softball suits up again this Thursday at home for a doubleheader against Eastern Connecticut State, ranked first in New England in Division III. The Cards will look to take down the Warriors at 3:30 p.m. for the first time since 2006.
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