Yale Tops Pioneers 5-2 In Opener; Second Game Ends In 1-1 Tie

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Yale got a pair of very well pitched games Wednesday at Sacred Heart. Lindsay Efflandt tossed a complete-game five-hitter in the opener as the Bulldogs topped the Pioneers 5-2, and Francesca Casalino and Terra Jerpbak combined to strike out 11 in a second game that was called after eight innings because of darkness with the score tied 1-1.

Lauren Delgadillo had three hits and knocked in a run to lead the offense on the day.

Yale used some small ball to grab the lead in the first inning of the first game. Brittany Labbadia was hit by a pitch, stole second and came around to score on an error when Sydney Ginsberg bunted.

After SHU tied it with a run in the bottom of the first, the Bulldogs took the lead for good with a two-run second inning. Rachel Paris drew a leadoff walk, and came around to score on Delgadillo's double. Shelby Kennedy later added an RBI single.

Doubles by Delgadillo and Kennedy in the sixth made it 4-1.

Sacred Heart got one back in the bottom of the sixth, but Jerpbak's RBI single in the seventh sealed the victory.

Efflandt was outstanding in the circle. After allowing the run in the first, she set down 14 of the next 15 hitters she faced.

"Lindsay is so focused right now. It was great to give her the run support to get the win," said Yale head coach Jen Goodwin. "We capitalized on some mistakes but had some timely hitting to go with it."

Sacred Heart committed five errors in the game.

Kennedy, Jerpbak and Delgadillo each had two hits for the Bulldogs (13-26-1). Camille Weisenbach added a single.

Yale was limited to three hits in the second game, but grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third when Laina Do doubled and scored on Labbadia's single.

The Pioneers tied it on Fallon Bevino's RBI double in the sixth.

Jerpbak started in the circle and struck out four in four innings. Casalino pitched the final four innings and recorded seven strikeouts.

"Terra was hitting her spots and was very effective," Goodwin said. "The plan was to split the game so all of our pitchers could be sharp heading into the weekend, and I feel that we accomplished that.

"It was good to see Lauren Delgadillo have a dominating day at the plate."

Yale had a great chance late in the second game,  loading the bases in the seventh inning on walks to Weisenbach, Delgadillo and Do but couldn't capitalize.

Sacred Heart had the winning run on second base in the eighth, but Jerpbak got Stephanie Appelberg to fly out to centerfield to end the threat.

That's when the decision was made to end the game.

Yale's last tie came in 2008, 6-6 with Providence in a game that was called after nine innings because of darkness.

The Bulldogs return to Ivy League play this weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders at Dartmouth on Saturday and Sunday. The first pitch of the first game is slated for 12:30 p.m. both days.

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