It was a relatively uneventful day for the usually potent Big Green offense. The five total runs scored in the two games were less than the number of runs the Big Green often score in one game alone.
In the first game, missed opportunities doomed the Big Green, which, despite scoring only one run all game, had nine hits compared to the Bears' four.
"I think we were actually pretty unlucky in that game," co-captain Ashley Gleason '09 said. "We hit the ball a lot harder than they did, but we just didn't get the timely hits that we needed. We had runners on third three or four times, and we just couldn't come through. And they got two dinky hits that scored their two runs. So it was pretty unlucky."
The Big Green left 10 runners on base, costing the team valuable scoring opportunities in a game that ended up being decided by just one run.
The first opportunity came in the first inning as, with two outs and the bases empty, Gleason singled for the Big Green's first hit of the game, and then advanced to third on a single by Molly Khalil '12. However, Alyssa Parker '10 popped up to the pitcher to end the inning.
Down 2-0 in the fourth inning, the Big Green had a chance to start a comeback. Parker started the inning with a solo home run to left center field to cut the deficit to 2-1. After a fly-out, Leigha Clarkson '10 doubled, and Kat Hicks '12 singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Dartmouth could get no more, though, ending the inning with a pop-up and a ground-out and leaving the tying run at third.
With one out in the fifth inning, Gleason doubled and advanced to third on a groundout. Once again, however, Dartmouth squandered a scoring opportunity. After Parker walked, Audrey Kolodziej '11 lined out to second to end the threat. The Big Green then went down one-two-three in the seventh to end the game.
The second game was defined by a spectacular pitching performance from starter Hillary Barker '12, who pitched a one-hit shutout to pick up her seventh win on the season.
"It was just like catch," Gleason said. "She hit her spots and we came through with our bats in that game. She kept us in the game, and we came through for her. All of our pitchers are doing really well lately. It's just a matter of if our bats come through or not."
The Big Green threatened in the bottom of the third inning, loading the bases with one out. Khalil hit a hard ground ball that Bears third baseman Kate Strobel could not handle, bringing in two runs for Dartmouth.
Dartmouth added another run in the fifth inning thanks to two errors by the Bears to take a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning.
The Big Green's final run came in the sixth inning. Clarkson led off with a double, advanced to third base on a wild pitch, and then came into score on a single by Barker.
The seventh inning was hardly suspense-free. After getting two outs, Barker walked Kristie Chin, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. However, Barker got a groundout to end the game and secure the shutout.
The Big Green will travel to Storrs, Conn., to take on the University of Connecticut this Wednesday at 4 p.m.
