NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Behind sixth-inning heroics from Isabella Fortini and a dominant relief performance from Sienna Reynolds, the Yale softball team edged Penn, 8-7, to complete a series sweep. The Bulldogs improved to 12-10 (3-0 Ivy) on the season, while Penn fell to 1-16 (0-3 Ivy).
Game Summary
- T1 | Penn jumped out to an early lead. After drawing a leadoff walk, a triple from Jade Montgomery set the Quakers up for their first run. A single to shallow center extended the advantage. (Penn 2, Yale 0)
- B1 | Ella Gandolfo wasted no time igniting the Bulldogs' offense, sending the first pitch of Yale's at-bats down the right-field line for a triple. In the next at-bat, Lauren Perren brought Gandolfo home with an RBI single to center. (Penn 2, Yale 1)
- T2 | The Quakers added to their lead with a bases-loaded walk before Gigi Ganje delivered a grand slam, pushing the margin to six runs. (Penn 7, Yale 1)
- B2 | Yale chipped away at the deficit in back-to-back bases-loaded situations. Ella Cross drew a walk to bring in a run, followed by Sophie Woodridge getting hit by a pitch to plate another. (Penn 7, Yale 3)
- B6 | After three quiet innings, Yale's bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth. Kaitlyn Oikle and Elena Ohe sparked the rally with consecutive singles, and Gandolfo followed with a walk to load the bases. Perren's sacrifice fly scored Oikle, cutting the deficit to three. Cross then reloaded the bases with an infield single, setting the stage for Fortini, who roped a double to left-center, clearing the bases and tying the game. Moments later, Fortini dashed home on a wild pitch to give Yale its first lead of the contest. (Yale 8, Penn 7)
- T7 | Reynolds, who entered in the second inning, shut the door in the seventh, retiring all three batters to seal the victory.
Bulldog Notes
- Sienna Reynolds allowed just one hit over 5.1 stellar innings of relief.
- Ella Cross went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.
- Elena Ohe finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Kaitlyn Oikle also went 2-for-3, adding two runs and two stolen bases.
- Ella Gandolfo notched her first collegiate triple in the opening frame.
- Lauren Perren contributed a 1-for-2 effort with two RBIs and a stolen base.
- Yale has now swept Penn in three consecutive seasons.
- The Bulldogs have recorded double-digit hits in four straight games.
Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs gear up for a busy stretch, beginning with a road doubleheader at Boston University on Tuesday, March 18. They return home Wednesday to host Fairfield before heading to Ithaca for a three-game Ivy League series against Cornell on March 22-23.
