Army soft-tosses two wins

"This is what it takes to win ballgames," softball Captain Monica Lebron, TC '01, said of her team's performance last weekend against Army and Stonybrook.

After three wins in four games, the Bulldogs upped their season record to 12-12. The team won both games in its doubleheader against Army on Sat., Mar. 31 in impressive fashion. The Elis then split a doubleheader against Stonybrook on Sun., Apr. 1. In their wins, they not only dominated but managed to post convincing statistics. The Bulldogs' wins against Army were by blowout scores of 4-0 and 11-2, as hurlers Cara Denver, SM '02, and Shayna Filson, CC '04, respectively, picked up impressive victories. The 8-2 win over Stonybrook was not a surprise, but the 3-5 loss was disappointing and error-ridden, as Stonybrook managed to score two key unearned runs in the later innings to capture the win.

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Last weekend's games were a lesson in building concentration as the team battled freezing wind and biting cold. And, as Laura Beckert, TC '03, explained, "Army's field had poop all over it."

One of the Bulldogs' strengths this season has been their speed in base-running, enabling the team to take advantage of opponents' errors and score crucial unearned runs. Beyond speed, last weekend also had the best hitting Yale's lineup has produced this season.

New talent has provided a definite boost thus far. With seven freshmen, this year's team is young and has had to—and will have to—rely on rookies at critical postions. However, "We have all played this game for years, and everyone knows what it takes to win," Lebron said. In particular, Leah Kelley, ES '04, and Shayna Filson, CC '04, have been powerhouses both in the field and at the plate. Both have earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors this season, and Filson's four homeruns last weekend tied the season homerun high. Filson has started both as pitcher and in the right field, and Kelley has started at second base in 24 of the 25 games played so far.

JULIA STIERNAN/YH After going 3 for 4 last weekend, softball begins its Ivy Season on Sat., Apr.7. With strong base running and solid performances at the plate, the team hopes for victories against Columbia and Cornell this weekend.

Jessica Bartholo-mew, ES '03, and Alice Liu, SY '02, have consistently played well, with hitting streaks of eight and seven games, respectively. They also top the team in multiple-hit games. Bartholomew is the team's most reliable hitter, with a batting average of .346. Additionally, the control of pitcher Cara Denver, SM '02, has contributed to Yale's defense. Denver is known for her consistency and her ability to place the ball in just the right spot. "It's all about where you put the pitches," Beckert explained.

But the Bulldogs suffered a setback on Tues., Apr. 3, when they fell to UConn 8-0. The Huskies scored twice in the first inning, developing a lead they would not reliquinish. UConn piled on five runs in the second, due in part to Yale mistakes—the Bulldogs committed three errors over the course of the game leading to seven unearned runs. The loss brought Yale's record to 12-13, but the Elis plan to add more wins to those numbers soon.

With a strong record and confidence to boast, Yale looks forward to the rest of the season. "I think that we are finally starting to put everything together," Maturo commented. Half of the regular season and the entirety of the Ivy League season is yet to come. Ivy League play begins this weekend, and Yale will open with a game at Columbia on Sat., Apr. 7 and then at Cornell on Sun., Apr. 8. "Everything is up for grabs in the Ivy League this season," Beckert said. This title is looking for the team that gets the most momentum. "We seem to be peaking at the right time," Maturo added. Geoff Chepiga contributed to this article.

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