Who would have known?
Who would have known that Dartmouth softball would eventually be a varsity sport? Who would have known that the team would be able to compete at the Ivy League level? Furthermore, who would have known that they would win?
But that is exactly what happened this weekend when the Big Green softball team beat the University of Pennsylvania twice and Cornell once.The defensively strong Dartmouth team, demonstrating its seriousness about winning, now carries an impressive record of 4-5 in the Ivies, 8-24 overall.
Dartmouth 1, Penn 0
Senior co-Captain Kim Worboys said, "We definitely thought we had a chance with Penn, because we knew that their Ivy record was not very strong. Still, the wins were an upset for us, and we really played well."
Penn had a no hitter going until the fifth inning, when Raili Cook '98 hit a triple to spoil it. Dartmouth tried a squeeze play, but the ball was popped up for the second out and a ground out made three.
Senior pitcher and co-Captain Ericka Lee started the game and went six innings without a walk. Christina Maybaum '98 came in in the sixth inning, with a runner on first and one out. The next hitter grounded to second baseman Karen Hersey '96, who tagged the runner and threw to first for the double play, ending the inning and Penn's chances at scoring.
Still scoreless at the bottom of the seventh inning, Cook drew a walk and Amy Coelho '97 hit a single. Susan Warhover '95 walked again and the bases were loaded. Hersey come to the plate, ran the count to 3-2, and then was walked to bring Cook home.
"It was a close battle all the way" Worboys said. "It was anybody's game down to the end. Penn just ended up folding, and we didn't."
"We played with confidence which made a huge difference" said Lauren McQuade '97, who plays third base. "I think we played well defensively and were able to get some key hits.Penn is a good team, and it took a total team effort on our part. We couldn't be happier."
Dartmouth 6, Penn 4
Dartmouth defeated Penn again in the second game, 6-4. Penn jumped on top with a single and a double to go up 1-0 in the first inning, but Dartmouth started out strong also.
After two outs in the first, McQuade hit a single up the middle, Julia Doster '97 walked and Rachel Rochat '95 singled home. Rochat scored the third run on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Hersey walked, Jennifer Pitts '95 hit a single and Worboys had a two run single. The rest is history.
Maybaum pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and only three walks. Saturday's games mark Dartmouth's first double header Ivy League sweep, and gave the team a four-game winning streak.
"We really outplayed them in the second game" Worboys said. "We were getting some key hits and playing great defense."
Dartmouth 4, Cornell 0
Dartmouth led from the third inning versus Cornell, with runs by Hersey and Pitts. The score stayed 2-0 until the bottom of the sixth, when Doster stole home. Rochat followed her on a Worboys single, edging the score to 4-0.
Lee, who earned the win, threw a no-hitter until the sixth inning.
Cornell 7, Dartmouth 5
The second game was not as easy,and Cornell took the lead right away.
Cornell led 3-0, until the second inning when Doster stole home, moving the score to 3-1.
But Dartmouth could come back. Cornell scored another 4 runs fairly quickly, and, although the Big Green had a three-run rally in the sixth making it 7-5, it was not enough.
"We played a solid first game," McQuade said. "Ericka Lee pitched a great game, and the defense was there to back her up. We let ourselves fall behind early in the second game, though. When we finally started hitting we ran out of innings."
"Penn's infield was very strong, and we got frustrated with our hitting," Worboys said. "That's the only reason why we didn't pull off a win in the second game."
