The Big Green softball team went 2-2 over the weekend, splitting both of its doubleheaders against Yale in New Haven, Conn.
After the weekend, Dartmouth's Ivy League record stands at 11-5. Harvard, meanwhile, took three of four from Brown to move within one game of Dartmouth's lead in the North Division of the Ivy League. The Big Green will play its last four Ivy games against Harvard this weekend.
"It feels great to be in control, and we know that we're capable of winning," Molly Khalil '12 said. "We just have to continue to have confidence and swagger."
On Saturday, the Big Green took the first game 7-2, thanks to a five-run sixth inning that broke open a 2-2 tie. Nikki Yee '10 drove in three runs in the inning on a double to left field.
In the second game, both teams were held scoreless for the first four innings.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Big Green put the first runs of the game on the board. With one out, Christy Autin '10 had a bunt single to third base, and Kirsten Costello '10 followed with a two-run home run to left field that put Dartmouth on top.
Going into the sixth inning, the Big Green held a 2-0 lead. Starting pitcher Hillary Barker '12 was on fire, throwing a no-hitter through six innings, with a hit batsman and a walk as her only blemishes. The prospect of a doubleheader sweep looked promising -- but that prospect disappeared in one big, painful inning.
Lauren Huddleston started off the Yale rally with a single to centerfield. The next batter, Ashley Sloan, hit a ground ball that was misplayed by Big Green second baseman Costello, allowing Sloan to reach base.
Yale then played small ball as Katie Yanagisawa put down a sacrifice bunt, advancing both runners. Meg Johnson hit a ground ball back to the pitcher's mound, but Barker was able to hold both runners and throw Johnson out at first.
The Big Green was one out away from escaping unscathed, but Megan Enyeart put an end to the Big Green's lead, tripling to left field to bring in both runners and tie the game.
Mariclaire Rebman then singled to center field to score Enyeart, and Katie Edwards tripled to right field to score Rebman.
The inning finally ended when Yanagisawa, the 12th batter of the inning, fouled out to right field to end the offensive attack.
In total, Yale put up eight runs in the decisive bottom of the sixth. The eight runs came on eight hits, including three triples and two throwing errors by the Big Green.
The Big Green went one-two-three in the top of the seventh, sealing the win for Yale.
The eight runs allowed in the sixth was the most allowed by Dartmouth in one inning this season, tied with the eight runs the Big Green gave up in the third inning against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in March.
The first game on Sunday was full of offensive fireworks, as the Big Green came out on top 12-10 in a game that featured a combined 26 hits. Kat Hicks '12 pitched three-and-one-third innings of relief to earn the win.
"We moved on," Khalil said. "We popped back the first game this morning and killed Yale."
Khalil drove in five runs on three hits in game one on Sunday.
The second game was a 1-0 pitcher's duel that went the Bulldogs' way. Despite allowing just one run, Barker took her second loss of the weekend.
The Big Green will travel to Burlington, Vt., on Thursday to play a non-league doubleheader against the University of Vermont. The first game is slated to start at 3 p.m.
