By David F. Pendrys (Eyewitness account checked against official box score. Note: This is just Game 1, please consult official sources for Game 2 result.)

WEST HARTFORD, CT- The Yale Bulldogs fended off a late Hartford Hawks rally Wednesday afternoon to take the first game of a double header 6-4. Francesca Casolino went the distance earning a complete game victory for the Bulldogs. Hartford starter Bianca Ross left with the game tied, and Lexi Wilkerson gave up the two winning runs to the visitors saddling her with the loss.

Yale got out to an early lead as Hannah Brennan drove in two runs. In the third, Brennan got things going again with single up the middle. After a Yale out, Sarah Onorato was walked by Ross, and Rachel Paris was hit by a pitch. Riley Hughes then hit a grounder, which Hartford played to third for the force, but Brennan scored to make it 3-0.

In the top of the fourth, Hartford’s Jenice Aloyo made a diving catch in the outfield to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Sawyer Fried was walked. Jamie Soles then laid down a perfect bunt advancing Fried and making it to first her self. Jackie Kelly singled up the middle scoring Fried and getting Soles to third. Danielle DeMarco lofted a sacrifice fly to drive in Soles, but Hartford wasn’t done. Peyton Fisher stepped in and hit the ball to third, but an error got her onto first base safely. Dani Regina came into run for Kelly, however on the ensuing hit she was caught by the short stop partially due to her own running hesitation. Ana Alberti made it to base on this play though. This put two on with two out. Margaret Betz blasted the ball to right field deep, clearing the bases and reaching third, but that would be it for the scoring. Hartford was now up 4 to 3 though.

In the top of the fifth however, Camille Weisenbach homered to right field to tie the game back up at 4. Ross limited the damage to that run and got through the rest of the inning.

In the top of the sixth Wilkerson walked Laina Do, and 1 out later, walked Sydney Ginsburg. Allison Skinner hit into a fielder’s choice and Do was thrown out, but on the next at bat, Camille Weisenbach picked up an infield single loading the bases. The dangerous Brennan came to back and smacked a single driving in two runs in the process. An illegal pitch by Wilkerson would move Brennan to third, but Hartford got out of the inning with a ground out.

Hartford tried to get things going in the sixth and seventh innings including when Elizabeth Newkirk blooped the ball behind third base. However the Hawks could not get any more runs home. Yale eventually took it on 6 runs 9 hits and 1 error to Hartford’s 4 runs 6 hits and 1 error.

Hartford fell to 2-26 on the year, and Yale rose to 6-12.