North Dartmouth, MA – The Plymouth State University softball team swept UMass Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon to open their Little East Conference (LEC) play on a positive note. PSU took the day game 8-2 while successfully sweeping away the Corsairs with a 6-1 win in the nightcap.
Sophomore co-captain Courtney MacFarland earned the win in the day game. MacFarland scattered six hits and two runs in six innings pitched. She lowered her ERA (Earned Run Average) to a 1.65 with a 4-1 record. Sophomore Rachel Pothier had three hits and two runs batted in (RBI), leading the Panthers’ 10-hit attack in the day game. Sophomore Heather Bartolo collected three hits in the opener.
Plymouth State improved to 7-6 overall and 2-0 in the Little East Conference, while UMass Dartmouth fell to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
The Corsairs struck first in the bottom of the first inning in the opener after an RBI double by senior Shannon Allberry. Plymouth State answered back in the next inning, scoring three runs after RBI doubles from junior co-captain Lori Pettengill and Bartolo.
The Panthers scored a run in the top of the third inning after a throwing error by the Corsairs. UMass Dartmouth responded with an RBI single by Allberry, but it would be their final run scored of the game. MacFarland and strong hitting would shut down UMD for the remainder of the game.
Pothier struck with two RBI and DiPietro chipped in with a run in the fifth inning before putting the Corsairs away in the seventh inning. First-year Ashley Pinkham came on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning to down the Corsairs in Game One.
Strong PSU pitching carried the Panthers to a successful win in the nightcap. First-year Kat Roland held the Corsairs to five hits and one run over six innings pitched. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter. Roland is now 3-3 with a 2.59 ERA in six appearances. DiPietro drove in three runs in the nightcap while Pothier and Bartolo collected three hits apiece, each earning two doubles.
Bartolo and Pothier hit RBI doubles in the third and fourth innings to give PSU the quick 2-0 lead. Sophomore Leanne Barry and Bartolo singled to start a three-run rally in the fifth inning. With two runners on base, DiPietro brought two runners home with a single, while Pothier knocked in the third RBI with a double. DiPietro added a run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. UMD scored their only run in the sixth inning after a RBI single by sophomore Kathleen L’abbe.
Plymouth will host Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon in their home opener.