NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Dean College softball team began the 2024 season in South Carolina.

Saturday's games against The College of New Jersey and St. Joseph's Long Island were canceled due to heavy rain.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs squared off against Kenyon and Keystone.

Kenyon came away with a 14-6 win in six innings in the day's first game. Sophomore Liana Silva (New Britain, Conn.) and first-year Bryce DeGasparre (Attleboro, Mass.) each knocked in a pair of runs. Sophomore Xandra Silva (New Britain, Conn.) scored twice.

Dean then battled Keystone in a high-scoring duel that went to eight innings. After the Bulldogs took a 1-run lead in the top of the eighth, Keystone was able to plate a pair in the bottom half for the 13-12 walk-off win. Senior Madison Mayo (North Attleboro, Mass.) had three hits, while sophomore Sydnee Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Junior Alyssa Ribarovski (Sydney, Australia) finished with two hits, two runs and two RBIs.

After an off day on Monday, the Bulldogs were back in action for two more games on Tuesday. Dean was edged by Franciscan 2-0 in the morning before falling to Thiel 8-7 in nine innings in the afternoon.

Five players each had a hit for the Bulldogs against Franciscan. Senior Jilian Glynn (Londonderry, N.H.) pitched extremely well with a complete game. She scattered five hits and surrendered just one earned run. Glynn struck out nine Barons.

The Bulldogs trailed Thiel 4-0 after three innings but tied things up in the fourth. Junior Katie Splaine (Tyngsborough, Mass.) knocked in two with a single to center. Dean then took a 5-4 lead in the fifth on a Glynn RBI single, but Thiel answered with a couple of runs in the bottom. Dean responded with a tying run in the sixth. After a scoreless seventh, each team plated a run in the eighth. The Bulldogs failed to score in the ninth, while Thiel plated the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth for an 8-7 victory. Ramos had two hits and three stolen bases. Splaine, Glynn and senior Meredith Landers (Littleton, Mass.) also had two hits apiece.

On Wednesday, the Bulldogs began the day with a tough 6-0 loss to Oswego State. Dean then fell to FDU-Florham by a 5-1 final.

Dean was held to two hits, one by Ramos and one by Glynn, in the loss to the Lakers. DeGasparre struck out six in the complete game with three earned runs allowed.

Ramos went 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base to lead the Bulldogs against FDU-Florham. Xandra Silva knocked in a run.