AMHERST, MA – The Amherst College softball team split a doubleheader with Wesleyan University to move to 11-4 (2-1 NESCAC West) on the season, with the Cardinals (6-10/1-2 NESCAC West) picking up their first conference win of the year. Amherst earned a 6-4 come-from-behind victory in the first game before Wesleyan rallied late to win the nightcap, 5-4.
In the front end of the doubleheader, senior Holly Trace (Northport, AL) belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Jeffs a 6-4 lead that they would carry the rest of the way. Trace's blast scored first-year Carly Dudzik (Darien, CT) and sophomore Emily Neill (Kentfield, CA), who had reached on a double and single, respectively.
Trace's big hit came after Amherst crossed the plate three times in the second inning. After Trace and first-year Annemarie Iker (Mill Valley, CA) reached on walks, an RBI-single off the bat of senior Julia Cummings (Los Angeles, CA) was followed by a two-RBI triple from junior Jackie Tyler (Ridgewood, NJ).
Three of Wesleyan's runs were scored with the long ball, with sophomore Talia Bernstein (Miami, FL) driving in junior Taylor Zavadsky (Trumbull, CT) with a two-run blast in the top of the first inning. Bernstein—who entered the doubleheader with a team-leading .500 batting average—hit her second of three homers on the day in the top of the third, with her solo blast giving the Cardinals a 4-3 lead. Junior Meaghan Dendy (Swansea, MA) provided Wesleyan's other run in the second inning when she drove in Alexis Kral (Northvale, NJ) with a single.
Junior Alex Chang-Graham (San Carlos, CA) picked up the complete-game victory for Amherst to improve to 8-1. The Lord Jeff ace allowed four earned runs on eight hits and no walks, striking out two batters along the way. Sophomore Chelsea Swete (Glenmont, NY) allowed six earned runs on eight hits and three walks, also striking out two.
Roles were reversed in the second game as Amherst struck early before Wesleyan pulled off the comeback. Starting pitcher Maddie Tamagni (Salinas, CA) brought home Cummings and Neill with a single in the bottom of the second to hand the lead over to the Jeffs after Wesleyan had picked up a run in the top half of the frame on an RBI-single from Kral.
Trace added an RBI on a groundout in the bottom of the third, but Wesleyan would get one back in the sixth on Bernstein's third long ball of the afternoon. The Cardinals scored three runs in the seventh to take a 5-3 lead, with Dendy driving in pinch-hitter Mel Kasulis (Berlin, CT) and Chamberlin driving home Kral and pinch-hitter Lily Thalheimer (San Francisco, CA).
Amherst got an unearned run back in the seventh but could not complete the comeback, as Dendy earned the complete-game victory for the Cardinals. Dendy (4-5) allowed 10 hits and two earned runs, striking out six and walking none. Tamagni struck out five and allowed eight hits in six-plus innings of work before handing the ball over to Chang-Graham in the seventh. Dendy added a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, while Dudzik was also 3-for-4 and scored two runs for Amherst.
The Jeffs return to action Friday, Apr. 3 when they host Hamilton College in game one of a three-game NESCAC West series, while the Cardinals will travel to take on Coast Guard on Wednesday, Apr. 1.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
