This past Sunday, Jensin Hall ’27 threw her second collegiate complete no-hitter against Yale University, earning Ivy League Pitcher of the Week.
Hall is the second Big Green pitcher in history to throw two complete no-hitters. During the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Brooke Plonka ’20 threw two complete no-hitters against Brown University and Tufts University. Plonka also threw a combined no-hitter against North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, meaning no Big Green pitcher has ever thrown three complete no-hitters in their career.
The Pitcher of the Week threw her first no-hitter as a freshman on March 30, 2024, against the Bulldogs. However, Hall is always striving to improve and throwing a no-hitter this year was not initially one of her goals.
“I wouldn’t say that [throwing a no-hitter] was the goal,” Hall said. “Every year I’m always looking to improve based on last year. Having thrown a no-hitter last year, I would have loved to throw another one.”
According to head coach Jen Williams, Yale is a “very aggressive team.” Williams said that Hall’s breaking pitches were “working” and emphasized that Hall has been “working very hard” this season.
Behind the plate, catcher Marilyn Beauvais ’28 was in disbelief when she caught a no-hitter in her rookie season.
“It’s such a surreal experience to be able to play as a freshman and start as a catcher, but also catch [Hall],” Beauvais said. “She’s a fantastic pitcher. Just going to catch a no-hitter against Yale was just a very surreal experience. I’m so blessed to have been experiencing it.”
Last Saturday, Hall made her 13th start of the season as she prepared to face Yale for the first time. She asserted her dominance, quickly allowing one unearned run on three hits while striking out 11.
Despite Hall’s early authority, the Big Green would not be able to score their first run until the sixth inning. While down 1-0, Justice Malone ’27 doubled to tie the game and Olivia Schramm ’27 reached on a bunt to take the lead. Lauren Ben-Ezra ’26, Alaana Panu ’25 and Cwen Wilson ’27 provided insurance to secure a 5-1 win over the Bulldogs.
Thirty minutes later, the second game ended with only two runs batted in from Malone and Faby Serna ’27, resulting in a 5-2 loss.
In order to win the series, the Big Green needed an exceptional performance from Hall once again. After throwing 114 pitches the day prior, Hall came back into the circle.
“I just tried to take it inning by inning,” Hall said. “I knew that that’s what I had to do after the first inning on Saturday. That’s the good mindset — to make sure that you don’t get too ahead of yourself.”
After walking the first two batters in the second game, Hall retired the next eight batters. To start the fourth, Hall walked and hit a batter but bounced back with a one-two-three fifth and worked past an error in the sixth to keep the Bulldogs hitless.
Entering the bottom of the seventh, the Big Green was up 7-0 and Hall had a no-hitter on the line.
Hall made a quick first out to start the seventh only using two pitches. However, Hall’s fatigue started to show as she walked the next three batters to load the bases. With pressure, Hall got the next batter to fly out.
One out away from completing her second no-hitter, Hall walked the next two batters to put the Bulldogs on the board.
Beauvais wanted to ensure that Hall was having fun through her hiccup.
“Having fun is the best way to play the game,” Beauvais said. “I’m trying as a catcher to make her laugh a little bit on the mound because she’s already a stud. Last year has proven that; this year has proven that. I know that she can do it.”
When Hall finally got to Yale’s Lauren Perren, she zoned in and got her to fly out to center to complete the second no-hitter of her career. Hall believes her rise ball was the most effective throughout the weekend.
“This week it was more my rise ball,” Hall said. “My defense had my back catching a bunch of fly balls and running after stuff in the air.”
The Big Green took the series from Yale as they won the third game 7-2, and are currently second in the Ivy League behind Princeton University.
Hall credits her victory to her catcher Beauvais.
“[Beauvais] been amazing,” Hall said. “She’s a fast learner. From the very first game that we played, she has just taken everything in so quickly and with so much eagerness to improve. It’s been really fun to see her grow in the spotlight. She's a great person to work with, and I love her.”
This duo has been strengthened by their “different” personalities.
“[We] are actually very different people in general, but I feel like that actually helps a lot,” Beauvais said. “ What I’m sometimes lacking in, [Hall] succeeds in and vice versa. That helps us balance out on the mound.”
With the regular season coming to an end, the Big Green is close to qualifying for the Ivy League Tournament, which consists of the top four teams in the Ivy League who all compete in double elimination fashion for a spot in the NCAA Softball Tournament.
“The next two weekends are going to be really critical for us,” Williams said. “We’re very excited to take on Harvard at home this weekend, and then we wrap up at Columbia. We really need our hitting to continue to get better and better.”
The Big Green are back at Dartmouth Softball Park for their final home series this weekend to face Harvard University in hopes of clinching a spot in the Ivy League Tournament.
