Katie Yanagisawa's Walk-Off Hit Wins Game One In 11th Inning

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Ashley Sloan entered Saturday's doubleheader with Brown needing one hit to set a new Yale record. The crowd at Dewitt Family Field didn't have to wait long to see that happen. Sloan singled leading off the bottom of the first inning. The fans, though, did have to wait quite awhile for the first game to be decided. It became worth the wait when Katie Yanagisawa singled home pinch-runner Mariclaire Rebman in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Bulldogs to a thrilling 5-4 victory. Brown won the second game 2-0.

Sloan's record-breaking hit was a single through the left side. It was the 189th hit of her outstanding career and broke the mark previously established by Kathy Ching. Sloan, who was given the ball to commemorate the milestone, also had a hit in the second game.

The hit also ignited a two-run rally that tied the score at 2-2. Allie Canulli followed with an RBI double, and Holly Gutterud singled home Canulli.

Brown (20-22, 7-13 Ivy) regained the lead with a run in the third, but Yale answered with two in the bottom of the third. Canulli singled and Meg Johnson followed with a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right field. It was Johnson's third home run of the four-game series.

The Bulldogs were one-out away from winning the game in the seventh, but Kristi Chin's single scored Kate Strobel to tie the score at 4-4.

It stayed that way until the 11th. Lauren Huddleston led off with a double and was replaced by Rebman, who took third on Liz Tutino's sacrifice bunt. Yanagisawa then came up as a pinch hitter and drilled the first pitch she saw down the third base line, driving in Rebman with the winning run.

Kayla Kuretich pitched all 11 innings for the Bulldogs. She struck out six and allowed only two earned runs in earning her sixth win of the season.

Yale (11-28, 6-14 Ivy) outhit the Bears 11-8. Canulli, Gutterud and McKynlee Westman had two hits apiece.

The Bulldogs' bats were held in check in the second game by Chin, who tossed a four-hit shutout.

The Bears scored both runs in third.

Gutterud was the touch-luck losing pitcher. She allowed only five hits and struck out three.

Johnson had two of Yale's four hits.

The Bulldogs had the leadoff batter reach base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings but couldn't capitalize.

The games were the last ones in the careers of Canulli, Gutterud, Huddleston, Kuretich and Sloan, who were each honored in a pre-game ceremony.

Report filed by Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity