Bulldogs Squander Opportunities

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The wait was worth it for Princeton. Skye Jerpbak's RBI single in the top of the eighth inning lifted the Tigers to a 5-4 victory over Yale to complete a two-day Ivy League doubleheader at Dewitt Family Field.

The game began yesterday but was halted because of darkness with the score tied at 4-4 after five innings.

Yale (9-21, 2-4 Ivy) had opportunities to win when play resumed but couldn't capitalize. Sydney Glover and Brittany Labbadia drew back-to-back walk to start the sixth inning. Shelby Kennedy then advanced the runners with a perfect sacrifice bunt, but Princeton pitcher Erica Nori retired the next two hitters to end the threat.

The Bulldogs had a great chance to walk-off with a win in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases, but Princeton second baseman Haley Hineman made a terrific diving catch to snare a Labbadia looper that looked destined for right field off the bat to end the inning.

The Tigers (10-20, 3-3 Ivy) went to work in the top of the eighth, loading the bases and setting the stage for Jerpbak's heroics. She blooped a single into centerfield that scored pinch-runner Kelsey Smith.

Yale got the tying run on base in the bottom of the eighth when Terra Jerpbak walked, but Ashley La Guardia, who started the game in the circle for the Tigers yesterday and then re-entered in relief, induced back-to-back ground outs to short to end the game.

The Bulldogs had six hits and drew 10 walks in the game but left 13 runners on base.

Labbadia was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Camille Weisenbach went 2-for-2 and scored a run.

After a 10-inning, 6-5 Princeton win in the opener yesterday, the second game didn't start until nearly 5:30 which meant darkness was going to be a factor.

After Princeton scored once in the top of the second inning, Yale answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Labbadia's single scored Weisenbach with the first run, and Sydney Ginsberg scored the second run when Kennedy reached on an error. Glover capped the scoring by racing home on a wild pitch.

Rachel Paris' sacrifice fly scored Laina Do in the third to make it 4-1 and that was how it stayed until the fifth when Princeton scored three times to tie it and force the teams to return on Saturday.

The Bulldogs are right back at Dewitt Family Field on Sunday when they play a doubleheader with Cornell starting at 12:30 p.m.

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