Softball Lose to Dean in Extra Innings

FRANKLIN, Mass. - The Elms College Softball team traveled to Dean College for a conference game on Monday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 7 | Dean College 8
Records: Blazers 5-29, 1-14 (GNAC) | Bulldogs 7-17, 2-10 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

After reaching base on a single, sophomore pitcher/infielder Jill Dykema (Preston, Conn.) would steal a base then would cross the plate after senior infielder Katie Cosmos (Wolcott, Conn.) would reach base on a fielding error by Dean, to give Elms an early 1-0 lead. Dykema would start in the circle for the Blazers, where she would pitch three innings with two strikeouts and two scoreless innings, tossing the first strikeout to end the bottom of the first inning. The two sides would remain scoreless, with Elms seeing a second single from Dykema in the third inning, but the Bulldogs would score twice in the bottom of the third to take the lead. In the top of the fourth inning, the Blazers would continue their efforts in taking back the lead, with the assistance of singles by Cosmos and senior outfielder Sarah Fortini (Florida, Mass.), along with graduate student catcher Kelsey Bennett (Granby, Mass.) reaching base on a fielder's choice, but would be unsuccessful in doing so. In the bottom half of the inning, sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kaelyn Zakaitis (Amherst, Mass.) would relieve Dykema, where she would pitch four and ⅓ third innings, with a strikeout and a scoreless inning. In that same inning, Dean would extend their lead by scoring three runs. But in the top of the fifth inning, Zakaitis would hit a leadoff triple to set up Elms for a rally, where they would score four runs, with the help from a sacrifice groundout by sophomore utility player Amanda Raymond (Auburn, Maine) that would drive-in Zakaitis, followed by singles by Dykema and Bennett, a double from Fortini, and Cosmos reaching base on an error, to tie the game 5-5. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs would score a run, but Zakaitis would record a strikeout to help stop their conference foes from extending their lead. The two sides would go scoreless in the sixth inning, but Zakaitis would record a single and steal second base. Then in the top of the seventh, Senior outfielder Kyla Cook (Taunton, Mass.) would record a leadoff single, followed by a single from Bennett, to give the Blazers a chance to take the lead with two runners on base. Moments later, first year utility player Sydney Barthel (Windsor Locks, Conn.) would hit a double that would drive-in both baserunners to give Elms a 7-6 lead, but Dean would answer right back in the bottom half of the inning to send the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning, the Blazers would see a single from Raymond, but the Bulldogs would record three outs and would drive in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth, to win the conference game 8-7.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Barthel: one for four, with a double and two runs batted-in.

• Bennett: two for four, with two runs scored and a run batted-in.

• Cook: one for five, with a run scored.

• Cosmos: one for four, with a run scored.

• Dykema: would pitch three innings with two strikeouts, and go three for five at the plate, with two runs scored and a stolen base.

• Fortini: two for four, with a double and two runs batted-in.

• Raymond: one for five, with a run batted-in and a stolen base.

• Zakaitis: would pitch four and ⅓ innings with a strikeout, and go two for four, with a triple, a run scored, and a stolen base.

UP NEXT: The Elms Softball team will travel to Revere, Mass. to face Lesley University on Tuesday, April 22nd for a non-conference doubleheader at 2 & 4 pm.

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