The skies and outcome were both dreary for the Big Green women's softball team this weekend, as Dartmouth dropped two games to the University of Pennsylvania Quakers on Saturday before losing two more to the Princeton Tigers on Monday evening.
The losses put an abrupt end to what were slim Ivy title hopes for Dartmouth entering last weekend.
The Big Green women (12-22, 5-7 Ivy) were no-hit by Penn pitcher Emily Denstedt until the bottom of the sixth in the first game of the doubleheader. By the time the Big Green ended Denstedt's no-hit bid, the Quakers had already put five runs on the board.
The Dartmouth sixth began with doubles by Ashley Gleason '09 and Alicia Petryk '06. Local product Sarah Bankoff '08, from Lynnfield, Mass., drove in the two Big Green runs on the day with a well struck single. That was all the Big Green would muster on the day though, as the team fell 5-2 to the Quakers.
Game two of Saturday's double-header was, at times, as back-and-forth as a March Madness basketball game, as the Big Green came back twice in a 13-inning marathon before falling to the Quakers 7-5 in a classic contest.
Penn (18-26, 5-9 Ivy) took an early lead once again, scoring once in the top of the third and twice in the top of the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Dartmouth threatened briefly while Penn was up 1-0, but could not squeeze a run across.
Dartmouth struck back in the bottom of the sixth, as the Big Green freshmen came through for their team. Denise Hasson '09 started the inning off by drawing a base-on-balls, and she advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freshman sensation Katie Chifcian '09 singled to drive in Hasson.
The Big Green then put runners on first and second, as freshman Kalli Lemke singled, but the Big Green could not manage any more runs in the frame.
Hasson once again sparked a rally for the Big Green in the bottom of the seventh, reaching on an error with one out before Abby Reed '08 singled to move her over to second base. Kelly Fry '07 walked to load the bases for Dartmouth before Gleason squared a brilliant bunt single to score Hasson. Petryk then smacked a single to left field which scored Gleason and Fry.
Penn retook the lead 5-4 in the top of the ninth, but the Big Green struck back quickly, as Fry blasted a long home run over the left field fence with two away in the frame. The Dartmouth bench erupted in cheers as Fry's foot touched home plate.
Unfortunately, Penn's Julia Cheney, instrumental in the ninth-inning Quaker rally, took a page out of Fry's book, and sent a two-run shot sailing over the left field fence to give the Quakers a winning margin of 7-5. The Big Green went home losers, having been swept in the doubleheader.
Sunday's games against Princeton were rained out and rescheduled for Monday, but the results were not much better for the Big Green women.
In game one, the Tigers defeated the Big Green 2-1, playing effective small ball to devour Dartmouth. The Big Green scored first on a home run by Petryk in the bottom of the first inning, before Princeton plated two, the first on a passed ball and another on an RBI single by Tiffany Andras.
Sophomore Vermonter Angela Megaw '08 went the distance for Dartmouth, allowing only one earned run and fanning four Tigers. Petryk and Gleason were the only Big Green batters to get hits off of Princeton starter Erin Snyder.
In the nightcap, Stephanie Trudeau '09 had a no-hitter going into the top of the sixth, when the Tigers exploded for three runs. Princeton would eventually extend its margin of victory to five, shutting out the Big Green 5-0 to sweep Dartmouth at home and hand the Lady Green its fourth straight home loss.
The victories clinched the NCAA tournament automatic bid for Princeton (26-15, 12-2 Ivy) as the Ivy League champions.
Trudeau pitched a complete game for the Big Green, and Chifcian managed the only hit for the Big Green on the afternoon.
Dartmouth will be back in action next Saturday, hosting Harvard. The doubleheader will commence at 2:00 p.m. and it will be senior day for three Big Green players.
