Franklin, Mass.- The Dean College Softball team concluded their 2026 campaign with a sweep, taking two games from Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Elms College on Sunday, 13-5 and 4-1. With the wins, the Bulldogs improved to 12-20 (8-10 GNAC). Dean's 12 wins are the most for the program since joining NCAA D-III, and the eight conference wins are the program's best marks since joining the league in 2021.
Notables:
-Prior to the game, the Dean College Department of Athletics & Recreation honored the four seniors on this year's softball roster:
Sydnee Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.),
Xandra Silva (New Britain, Conn.),
Liana Silva (New Britain, Conn.), and
Leah Chamberlain (Burlington, Vt.).
Game One: Dean 13, Elms 5 (6 Inn.)
Winning Pitcher: Bryce DeGasparre (Attleboro, Mass.) 9-11
Losing Pitcher: Kaelyn Zakaitis, 1-8
-The Bulldogs jumped out to an advantage in the opening frame, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from
Nina Ostafin (West Hartford, Conn.) and L. Silva, as well as a sacrifice fly from
Emily Kilpatrick (Marion, Mass.).
-X. Silva (New Britain, Conn.) scored a run in the second after
Sydnee Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice, pushing the Bulldogs lead to 4-0 after two.
-Elms responded with a pair of their own runs in the fourth after Jordyn Rossi laced an RBI single. The Bulldogs now led by a trio of runs.
-However, Dean boastfully retaliated in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs to make it 9-2. Kilpatrick kicked off the scored with an RBI triple, sending home two runs. Then, with one crack of the bat, Ramos delivered a two-run home run. Ramos's senior day spectacle gave Dean their seventh and eighth runs. Finally,
Katrina Lee (Brookline, N.H.) capped off the rally with RBI single that scored
Ashlee Mastrodomenico (Middleboro, Mass.).
-Elms scored two more runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Dean lead to five runs (9-4).
-Dean scored once again in the bottom of the inning with an Ostafin single, putting the Bulldogs into double-digit runs scored.
-The Blazers responded once more in the top half of the sixth, scoring their fifth run of the game from a Nyah colon single.
-With a five run lead in the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs sought to end the game at this point. X. Silva kicked off the scoring with a single, allowing two runs to come across. Then, on a sacrifice fly, Kilpatrick brought home the winning run. Dean won by the run rule by a final score of 13-5.
Game Two: Dean College 4, Elms College 1
Winning Pitcher: Natalie Hayes (Brewster, N.Y.) 3-9
Losing Pitcher: Reece Hebert, 1-13
-Elms scored game two's first run in the top half of the first. Cheyann Goddard recorded a sacrifice fly, bringing home Amanda Raymond. The Blazers now led 1-0 going into the bottom half.
-After a scoreless first, Dean quickly worked to tie the game in the second. L. Silva roped an RBI single, allowing Mastrodomenico to score. The game was knotted at one going into the third.
-Hayes continued to work efficiently in the circle, striking out eight Blazer batters throughout the contest. Elms' run in the first also proved to be her only earned run.
-With scorless frames in the third and fourth, Dean broke the steadfast in the bottom of the fifth. Kilpatrick showed bunt and forced an Elms error in the infield. She reached base on the error and
Ari Amaral (Attleboro, Mass.) scored in the same motion.
-Shortly after, Ramos blasted another sacrifice fly, scoring
Emily Yazzetti (Mahopac, N.Y.). Dean now led 3-1 going into the sixth inning.
-Hayes once again slammed the door on the Elms attack, sending Dean back to the plate. L. Silva went to work in the bottom of the sixth, recording an RBI double to extend their lead to 4-1.
-After one more shutout inning by Hayes, Dean took game two by a final score of 4-1 and the series sweep 2-0.
-The 2026 season has officially concluded for the Dean College softball team. For more information regarding the 2027 schedule, please sta tuned on deanbulldogs.com.
For Media Inquiries:
Brett Chaves
Sports Information Director, Dean College Athletics
(508) 541-1826
BChaves@dean.edu
