The softball team begins North Division this weekend as it looks to rise in the standings for a chance to play for the Ivy League title.
The Bulldogs (9–18, 4–4 Ivy) will travel to Hanover, N.H., to face divisional rival Dartmouth (6–18, 5–3) for a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.
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The Elis are coming off a 10–0 win at Sacred Heart on Wednesday that featured a resurgent Yale offense in which eight different Elis had hits.
“This was vital for our confidence,” left fielder Allie Canulli ’10 said after the win. “We’re going to play like this from now on.”
The Big Green are coming off a 12–4 loss to UConn on Wednesday. Against Ivy teams Cornell, Princeton, Columbia and Penn, Dartmouth won nearly exactly the same amount of games as Yale did against those teams, but with one more win against Penn.
Last season, the teams split both doubleheaders.
The Bulldogs have been led throughout this season by centerfielder and captain Ashley Sloan ’10. Sloan leads the team in batting average (.340), runs scored (13), hits (32) and stolen bases (9). Sloan’s batting average is fifth in the Ivy League.
Catcher McKynlee Westman ‘11 leads the team in slugging percentage (.500), on-base percentage (.415) and doubles (6).
Utility player Christy Nelson ’13 has been a consistent performer for the Eli offense, leading Yale in home runs (3), and total bases (35).
Canulli has stepped up in crucial moments this season, most recently with a game-winning single with two outs in the sixth inning against Princeton on Sunday. Canulli is tied with Nelson for the most runs batted in this season.
Yale’s experienced pitchers have been steady for the Elis, combining for the second-best ERA (3.36) in the Ivy League.
Pitcher Holly Gutterud ’10 leads the team in earned run average (2.45) and is tied in wins (4).
Pitcher Kayla Kuretich ’10 has a 4–6 record this season with a 3.19 ERA. Kuretich leads Yale pitchers in opposing batting average (.228), innings pitched (68) and strikeouts (58). She was named Ivy League Pitcher of the Week in March.
The Bulldogs are looking forward to this weekend as things seem to be falling into place for them, Westman said.
“When you’re playing well as a group, it’s exciting to go out on the field,” she said.