FRANKLIN, Mass. – April 14, 2024 – The Dean College softball team was edged by Norwich in a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) crossover games on Sunday afternoon. Norwich took game one 10-3 and game two 8-7.
Dean (0-18, 0-6 GNAC South) travels to Nichols on Wednesday for a non-conference twin bill with the Bison. Norwich (4-12, 0-0 GNAC North) is scheduled to host New England College on Wednesday for a North doubleheader.
GAME ONE – Norwich 10, Dean 3
Norwich scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first. Junior Maren McGinn (Georgia, Vt.) singled home freshman Madison DeCota (Strafford, N.H.). Rachel Kempf (Warwick, R.I.) later knocked in a run on a sac fly.
The Cadets added three runs in the second. DeCota doubled in a run and then scored on a 2-run single by senior Liliana Rolfe (Plainville, Mass.).
Julia Vawter (Pelham, N.H.) hit a sac fly to score Kempf for a 6-0 lead for Norwich in the third.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the third when sophomore
Liana Silva (New Britain, Conn.) singled home senior
Madison Mayo (North Attleboro, Mass.).
After a scoreless fourth frame, Norwich received a pinch-hit RBI single from Brianna Vitale (Rock Tavern, N.Y.) in the fifth for a 7-1 lead.
The Bulldogs then scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on a
Sydnee Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) double.
The visitors tacked on three in the sixth thanks to a 2-run home run by McGinn and an RBI single from Kelcie Petrone (Redding, Conn.).
DeCota went 2-for-5 at the plate and tossed a complete game. She gave up one earned run on six hits.
Rolfe and Kempf each had three hits to lead the Cadets.
Ramos and Mayo had two hits apiece for Dean.
First-year
Bryce DeGasparre (Attleboro, Mass.) threw a scoreless inning of relief for the Bulldogs.
GAME TWO – Norwich 8, Dean 7
The Bulldogs trailed 2-1 after the first inning as each team benefited from miscues. Dean then plated four runs in the second. Sophomore
Xandra Silva (New Britain, Conn.) and Ramos each knocked in a run, while sophomore
Leah Chamberlain (Burlington, Vt.) brought home a pair with a double.
Senior
Meredith Landers (Littleton, Mass.) put the Bulldogs on top 5-1 with an RBI double in the third.
Norwich scored single runs in the fourth and fifth before tying the game at 6-6 with two runs in the top of the sixth.
Chamberlain gave Dean the lead back with an RBI single that scored Mayo in the bottom half of the inning.
Norwich rallied in the top of the seventh to score twice and hang on for the 8-7 victory. Vitale and DeCota each had RBI hits in the inning. They finished with three hits apiece in the game.
Kempf also had three hits for the Cadets.
DeCota earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Chamberlain finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Ramos added another two hits to her afternoon.
