THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: Dean College 6, Penn State-Harrisburg 0
Game 2 Score: LaRoche University 8, Dean College 7 (9 innings)
Records: Dean College (1-1), LaRoche University (2-0), Penn State-Harrisburg (0-4)
Location: Central Park Field #2, North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Date: Monday, March 9, 2020
Time: 2:30 PM/4:30 PM

THE LEAD:
Dean College opened up its 2020 season with a split of two games at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Monday. The Bulldogs won their opener over Penn State-Harrisburg, 6-0, before dropping a heartbreaking 8-7 decision to LaRoche University in nine innings in the nightcap.

DEAN COLLEGE 6, PENN STATE-HARRISBURG 0:
The Bulldogs wasted little time getting on the board as they pushed runs across the dish in the bottom of the first. Karissa Menzinger (Centereach, N.Y.) delivered a two-run double to center followed by a Makenzie Souza (New Bedford, Mass.) RBI single.

Menzinger added another run with a single to center in the second that scored Melanie Rios-Nevarez (Alta Vega, Puerto Rico). Rios-Nevarez scored again in the bottom of the sixth when Gianna Bencivengo (North White Plains, N.Y.) blasted a triple to center, making the score 6-0.

Meanwhile, in the circle, Menzinger was stellar, tossing a complete game, four-hit shutout.

Bencivengo went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Menzinger had three hits of her own with three RBI. Rios-Nevarez chipped in with two hits and three runs scored.

LAROCHE UNIVERSITY 8, DEAN COLLEGE 7 (9 INNINGS):
Dean had leads in the seventh and ninth innings, but the Bulldogs couldn't hang on to them and dropped an 8-7 decision to LaRoche University in the nightcap on Monday.

Down 2-0 after yielding unearned runs in the first and the fourth, the Bulldogs regained the lead when Ali Nelson (Candia, N.H.) smacked a bases-clearing, three-run double that chased home Miranda Seacord (Cambridge, N.Y.), Bencivengo and Rios-Nevarez, putting the Cardinal and White in front, 3-2.

The Bulldogs continued to build their lead in the sixth when Jaylee Martinez (Pawtucket, R.I.) singled to right and then came home when Alex Marie (Danvers, Mass.) hit an inside-the-park homerun.

After the Redhawks scored three in the seventh to send the game into extra innings, Dean scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth on a Bencivengo single to right to go in front, 7-5.

LaRoche, however, answered back in the bottom of the frame, scoring three runs to take the 8-7 win.

Nelson had three hits and three RBI, while Rios-Nevarez had two hits and two runs scored and Marie finished 1-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and a pair of walks.

Shelby Smith (Southwick, Mass.) took the loss for the Bulldogs, going 8.2 innings, scattering nine hits, allowing just three earned runs and recording six strikeouts.

UP NEXT:
Dean is back in action on Tuesday, March 10 when they face Clarks Summit at 1:30 PM and Cazenovia at 5:30 PM.