Bulldogs Win Second Game 3-1 After Crimson Take Opener 6-4

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lindsay Efflandt's resiliency typifies the 2015 Yale softball team. After struggling in yesterday's first game against Harvard, Efflandt responded with perhaps her best game of the season in the circle. She tossed a four-hitter with four strikeouts as the Bulldogs earned a split of an Ivy League doubleheader with a 3-1 over the Crimson at Soldiers Field.

Yale snapped a 1-1 tie by scoring two unearned runs in the seventh inning. It all started when Laina Do singled with two outs. Brittany Labbadia then reached on a throwing error by pitcher Laura Ricciardone that allowed Do to score all the way from first base. Labbadia scored when Sydney Glover reached on an error by the Harvard third baseman.

Efflandt retired the Crimson in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to clinch the win, Yale's first over Harvard since 2009.

"I continue to be proud of this team's fight and resiliency," said Yale head coach Jen Goodwin.

Harvard won a back-and-forth first game 6-4.

Although the Crimson won three of the four games this weekend, Goodwin was pleased with her team's effort.

"This team will battle every game until the last out," Goodwin said. "Outside of the first inning of the first game yesterday, we competed every pitch and were in each game until our last at bat. I'm really happy for the seniors to get the win over Harvard."

The Crimson (20-18, 11-5 Ivy) scored first in the second game on Catherine Calloway's home run in the fourth inning.

The Bulldogs tied it in the fifth when Rachel Paris doubled and Do's single to centerfield scored pinch runner Allie Souza.

Harvard threatened in the fifth, getting a runner to third with one out, but Efflandt induced the next two hitters to ground out to second base.

Do was 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI for Yale. Paris added two hits, and Allison Skinner singled.

Camille Weisenbach's RBI double in the first inning of the game gave the Bulldogs an early lead.

The Crimson responded with four runs in the second, but Yale got right back in the game when Lauren Delgadillo hit a two-run homer in the third.

It stayed 4-3 until Harvard tacked on two runs in the sixth.

Skinner's RBI double in the seventh capped the scoring.

Skinner was 2-for-4 in the game for the Bulldogs.

Yale now turns its attention to a busy week of Ivy games.

"We have six more Ivy games this week, and we want to send our seniors out on the highest note," Goodwin said.

The Bulldogs play a doubleheader at Princeton on Wednesday beginning at 2 p.m. and then close out the season with four games against Brown. Friday's doubleheader with the Bears at Dewitt Family Field will be Senior Day and starts at 2 p.m.

Report filed by Tim Bennett (timothy.bennett@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity