In what was meant to be its redemption weekend, the Yale softball team did not quite make the impression it had hoped to.

The Bulldogs (25-17, 2-6 Ivy) fell twice to Dartmouth with scores of 5-1 and 7-4 in their second weekend of Ivy play. Sunday brought a slightly better outcome as the Bulldogs split their doubleheader against Harvard (15-16, 4-4 Ivy), winning the first game, 7-4, but dropping the second, 2-0.

“We didn’t start off as well as we had hoped, as far as the Ivy League,” pitcher Deanna DiBernardi ’09 said. “But I was impressed with how we played against Harvard.”

The Big Green jumped ahead in the first inning of Game 1, grabbing a three-run lead. Darmouth first baseman Alicia Petryk singled in a run, and right fielder Megan Snively hit a two-run single.

The Bulldogs responded with a run-scoring single in the fifth from center fielder Kate Meserve ’07. But Dartmouth’s Angela Megaw only allowed one run on three hits and struck out five. Dartmouth clinched the victory by scoring two more runs in the seventh.

In the second game, the Big Green beat the Bulldogs to the scoreboard again. Dartmouth catcher Kelly Fry batted in one run with her double in the third inning and then scored on shortstop Ashley Gleason’s two-run double.

First baseman Megan Enyeart ’09 hit a one-run double in the third, batting in second baseman Christina Guerland ’07. The Big Green scored another run in the top of the fourth, but DiBernardi recovered by striking out the final two Big Green batters.

Both teams brought the heat in the sixth inning. Dartmouth’s Fry whacked a two-run double at the top of the sixth, but the Bulldogs responded with a Meserve RBI double. Meserve then scored on a wild pitch. Right fielder Kyli Hanson ’09 scored on Enyeart’s single to left field later in the inning.

On Sunday the Bulldogs hosted an exciting doubleheader against rival Harvard and responded to the challenge.

“The fact that it’s Harvard definitely adds something to the game,” Torres said. “We don’t get any tenser, we just get more excited.”

Harvard came out strong with a run in the first, and in the third Crimson second baseman Julia Kidder scored on a throwing error by third baseman Meredith Parks ’07 to bring the score to 2-0.

But the Bulldogs did not stay down for long. With the bases loaded, DiBernardi made the play of the weekend by hitting a three-run double to left field. She then scored on a Meserve single.

The Elis kept up their momentum and scored three more runs in the fourth. Left fielder Courtney Blachford ’08 scored on a Guerland single to center field. A double steal then left runners on second and third, setting the stage for Torres’ two-run double.

The Crimson scored once more in the seventh, but Yale hung on, making the final score 7-4.

In the second game, the spotlight was on the pitchers — the Crimson’s Amanda Watkins and the Elis’ Ashley Linnenbank. Watkins struck out two players, walked three and only gave up three hits to achieve her second shutout of the season. Linnenbank held out until the sixth, allowing four hits but no runs.

In the sixth, Harvard third baseman Rachel Murray finally broke the standstill with her solo homer. The Crimson scored again in the seventh to seal their victory.

“Ashley [Linnenbank] pitched an amazing game for us today,” Guerland said. “She did a tremendous job on the mound and its a shame we weren’t able to pull out a win for her.”

The Bulldogs host a doubleheader against Providence on Wednesday.