Bulldogs Earn Doubleheader Split, Bears Win First Game 6-4

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Friday at Dewitt Family Field, Yale honored four seniors who have made outstanding contributions to the softball program over the last four years. Saturday at the Brown Softball Field a pair of sophomores showed that the future is quite bright as well. Lindsay Efflandt tossed a five-hit shutout, and Rachel Paris singled home the only run of the game in the seventh inning as the Bulldogs earned a doubleheader split with a 1-0 victory.

Brown won the first game 6-4.

Efflandt was outstanding in the circle in earning her fourth win of the season. She struck out three and induced 12 ground ball outs. Paris's game-winning hit capped a spectacular day for her. She had three hits, including a home run, in the first game.

The winning rally in the seventh inning of the second game started with a one-out single from Sydney Glover, who advanced to second on a passed ball, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Paris's single up the middle.

Efflandt retired the side easily in order in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.

The Bulldogs had a number of scoring chances earlier in the game. Walks to Sarah Onorato and Lauren Delgadillo put two runners on in the second, but both were left stranded. Allison Skinner (single) and Paris (hit by pitch) reached in the third, and in the sixth Yale loaded the bases when Hannah Brennan and Delgadillo walked and Riley Hughes reached on an error.

Brown's biggest threat came in the sixth when Janet Leung led off with a double and Lauren Hanna followed with a bunt single. Efflandt, though, retired the next three hitters to end the threat.

It was the sixth inning of the first game when Brown did most of its damage. Trailing 4-1, the Bears erupted for five runs. The big hit was Leah Nakashima's two-run home run.

Skinner doubled and scored in the first inning for the Bulldogs. After Brown tied it with a run in the bottom of the first, Paris's two-run homer made it 3-1 in the third.

Yale tacked on another run in the top of the sixth. Camille Weisenbach reached on an error and Hughes drew a walk. Sydney Ginsberg came on to pinch run for Weisenbach and scored on Glover's single up the middle.

Brown outhit Yale 11-5 in the game.

Saturday was the final date on the Yale schedule. The Bulldogs, though, could still have to return to Princeton sometime next week to complete the second game of a doubleheader with Princeton which was suspended with Yale leading 5-0 in the top of the fifth inning. Princeton remains one game behind Penn in the loss of column after both teams split doubleheaders on Saturday. If the outcome of the Yale-Princeton game could still have a bearing on first place in the South Division following play tomorrow, it will need to be completed. Otherwise, it will not count and the Bulldogs will finish the season with an overall record of 11-23 and a 5-14 Ivy League mark. 

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