The softball team looked to bounce back against defending Ivy League champion Penn on Monday afternoon, but Yale failed to score in either game of the doubleheader.
The Bulldogs (3–17, 0–4 Ivy) were shut out in both games of the doubleheader, dropping each game to the Quakers (6–11, 2–0) by the score of 3–0.
The games, originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, served as the conference opener for Penn, who had their doubleheader against Brown postponed. The Elis, on the other hand, began Ivy play on Sunday against Columbia, falling 3–2 and 8–0.
The Bulldogs struggled again in the first game, mustering only two hits for the third consecutive game. Left fielder Carolyn McGuire ’17 singled in the top of the second inning, but was left on base. Shortstop Brittany Labbadia ’16, who also played well against the Lions, accounted for the second hit of the game with a single in the sixth inning. Labbadia also reached base on an error in the fourth inning before being wiped out on a double play. Third baseman Hannah Brennan ’15 was the only other player to reach first base, walking in the fourth inning. The Elis went three-up, three-down in every odd-numbered inning, failing to put pressure on the Penn defense.
“We’re looking for some timely hitting to push some runs across the board,” head coach Jen Goodwin said in an email. “When we get that we’ll be in a better position to win ball games.”
Penn scored early against Yale, when designated hitter Alexis Sargent homered in her first at-bat following a single by third baseman Kayla Dahlerbruch. The Quakers struck again in the second inning, adding another run to the board. Ace pitcher Alexis Borden would not need any more support from her offense, pitching a complete game shutout.
Yale turned to pitcher Lindsay Efflandt ’17 for the second consecutive day, and she turned in another solid performance. Efflandt went six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three.
“I’ve been pleased with freshman pitcher Lindsay Efflandt,” Goodwin said. “[She] has kept us in every game she has pitched.”
The Bulldogs trotted out a slightly different lineup in game two, hoping to turn their fortunes around. The Elis out-hit the Quakers in game two 7–5, but were unable to push runs across the plate, losing 3–0.
Captain and center fielder Tori Balta ’14 singled in the first inning, but was called for the third out moments later for leaving the base early, killing a shot at an early rally. Yale had a good start to the third inning, with designated hitter Lauren Delgadillo ’16 doubling to right field. The next batter, left fielder Allie Souza ’16 then singled to put runners on the corners. Delgadillo was lifted for pinch runner Ceri Godinez ’17, but the Bulldogs were prevented from scoring when Godinez was thrown out at the plate. The Elis had another opportunity in the fourth inning, when Brennan singled and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. First baseman Camille Weisenbach ’17 singled with two outs, but although Brennan moved to third, she would not score as the next batter struck out.
Brenna singled again to lead off the top of the sixth inning, but was stranded on the base paths for the second time that day.
The Quakers were powered by two home runs in the second game. Sargent, who served as the designated hitter in game one and pitched in game two, homered for the second time in two games in the home half of the second inning. Penn scored again in the third inning, and a home run by right fielder Leah Allen gave the Quakers a three run lead they would not relinquish.
Pitcher Rhydian Glass ’16 started the second game for the Bulldogs, allowing three runs on five hits in four innings and striking out one. Glass was then relieved by pitcher Kristen Leung ’14, who kept the Quakers hitless for two innings while striking out two and walking one.
The Elis will travel to Massachusetts for a doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 3:00 p.m. before resuming Ivy League play at home against Cornell and Princeton on Friday and Saturday, respectively.