University of Connecticut Athletics
Softball Tops Dartmouth, 12-1
4/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Dartmouth 1, UConn 12 [], []
STORRS, Conn. (April 20, 2006) - Senior Erica Pernell (Plainville, Conn.) went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored to led the University of Connecticut softball team to a 12-1 victory over Dartmouth College on Thursday afternoon at the Connecticut Softball Stadium. The Huskies are now 17-21 on the season while Dartmouth slips to 12-18 overall.
The Big Green got things started offensively when Kelly Fry drove a pitch from senior Michelle Caouette (Wyantskill, N.Y.) over the left field fence to give Dartmouth the 1-0 lead in the top of the first. However, the Huskies answered back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
With one out in the home half of the first, freshman Jillian Ortega (Aberdeen, N.J.) was hit by a pitch to be UConn's first base runner of the game. Sophomore Allie Gendron (Amherst, Mass.) then reached on an error and then advanced to second, sending Ortega to third. Both of them came around to score when freshman Danielle Del Ponte (Tewksbury, Mass.) doubled as the next batter up and gave the Huskies the lead. A single by Pernell caused Del Ponte to score and freshman Sarah Neuschwander (Chugiak, Alaska) doubled Pernell home for UConn's fourth and final run of the inning.
The score remained at 4-1 until the bottom of the third inning when the UConn offense exploded for six more runs. Pernell opened the inning with a double and moved to third on a single by junior Jessica Quan (Stockton, Calif.). Junior Kristina Tolles (Southington, Conn.) entered the game as a pinch-hitter and singled to drive in both runners and increase the UConn lead. She advanced to second on a single by Truax and came around to score when Ortega singled as the next batter in the lineup.
A single by Gendron caused Truax to score before Del Ponte made UConn's second out of the inning on a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Ortega scored on the play and a single by Pernell, her second hit of the inning, caused Gendron to score UConn's sixth run of the inning.
The Huskies closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fourth when Gendron drove in Quan on a sacrifice fly. Quan had reached on a single to open the inning and UConn's final run of the game came on a single by Del Ponte which drove in Truax.
Caouette picked up her sixth win in the circle for the Huskies on Thursday after allowing just two hits and striking out three batters in five innings of work. Abby Reed took the loss for Dartmouth after allowing 12 hits and 10 runs in 2.1 innings of work.
The Huskies will be in action next on Saturday, April 22 when they host Seton Hall for a BIG EAST doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. and will be followed by the second game.
