Efflandt Tosses Three-Hit Shutout In Opener

HANOVER, N.H. – Yale more than held its own with first-place Dartmouth in a four-game series. Lindsay Efflandt tossed a three-hit shutout as the Bulldogs blanked the Big Green 1-0 in Sunday's first game.

The Big Green needed a 6-1 victory in the second game to earn a split of the four games.

Efflandt was outstanding in the circle in the opener. She set down the final seven Dartmouth hitters in a row with the Bulldogs clinging to a 1-0 lead.

The Big Green's best scoring chance came in the fourth when Kelsey Miller led off with a double. She advanced to third on a ground out, but Efflandt got reigning Ivy League Player of the Year Katie McEachern to ground harmlessly back to the circle and Karen Chaw to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

"Lindsay was as sharp as we have seen her in a Yale uniform," said Yale head coach Jen Goodwin. "She was hitting her spots and really had the determination today to finish the job and get the win. When she is on like today, she's the best out there, and to shut down the Dartmouth offense shows just that."

Yale's pitching staff did the job all weekend on McEachern, who came into the series with a .446 average but was just 3-for-11 in the four games.

The Bulldogs (15-28-1, 7-9 Ivy) scored the only run of the game in the third, and it came with two outs. Sydney Glover singled, and moved to second when Brittany Labbadia walked. Shelby Kennedy then hit a ground ball that was misplayed, allowing Glover to score.

Yale outhit Dartmouth 5-3 in the game. Laina Do had a pair of singles, and Kennedy and Terra Jerpbak also had hits.

"We able to manufacture a run early, and our defense made some web gems to earn a `team' victory," Goodwin said.

Dartmouth (26-12, 14-2 Ivy) seized control of the second game by scoring four runs in the second inning and adding two more in the fourth.

Jerpbak scored Yale's run in the seventh on Do's fielder's choice.

Lauren Delgadillo and Rachel Paris had two apiece for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs return to Dewitt Family Field on Wednesday for a doubleheader with Maine. The first pitch of the first game is slated for 2 p.m.

Report filed by Tim Bennett (timothy.bennett@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity