Rain may have kept the Red from playing most of its games this past weekend, but the inclement weather did nothing to stop the team’s momentum. All of the softball team’s games on Friday and Saturday were canceled for weather related reasons, but when the team finally took the field on Sunday, it dominated its competition in the Spartan Classic.
Cornell defeated Norfolk State and Delaware by scores of 9-0 and 8-2, respectively.
[1]Big Red rocket: Senior ace Jenna Meunier was instrumental in the Red’s win, pitching a 4 1/3 inning no-hitter.
In its first game Sunday, the Red (5-1) took on the Spartans. Cornell greeted the weekend’s hosts with an offensive onslaught. Sophomore Alyson Intihar hit a solo home run in the first inning. Classmate Vanessa Leonhard launched a three run shot one inning later and the route was on. Head coach Dick Blood said he was very pleased with Leonhard’s home run.
“That gave us a big cushion,” he said. “That was nice.”
The sophomore class continued to do damage at the plate when Elise Menaker hit a two-run single in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Intihar added a second RBI with a sacrifice fly. Senior Jenna Campagnolo and Menaker each had RBIs in the inning to complete a Red offensive attack that plated nine runs in four innings.
Senior pitcher Jenn Meunier was just as important as the offense in securing the victory. The staff ace pitched 4 1/3 innings of no-hit ball before being relieved by freshman Elizabeth Dalrymple, who completed the five-inning shutout.
In the Red’s second game of the afternoon, the team took it to the Blue Hens early and never relinquished control. Sophomore Devon March and senior Samantha Hare led off the game, getting on base in time for the heart of the Red batting order. Intihar, swinging a hot stick all day, struck again, bringing home both runners with a double. Campagnolo brought Intihar home with an RBI single and Campagnolo later came home for the team’s fourth and final run of the inning, on a hit from freshman pitcher Ali Tomlinson.
“[Intihar] provides a nice spark in the lineup. It was nice to see the middle of the lineup really looked sharp,” Blood said.
In the third inning, Cornell’s offense exploded for three more runs.
Intihar again ignited a rally, this time with a double. Campagnolo then recorded her third RBI of the day with a double of her own. The Red’s final three
runs of the game came from a Menaker home run. Campagnolo was sent home in the third thanks to a rocket off the bat of the sophomore. Menaker was
able to touch ‘em all again in the seventh inning.
Tomlinson pitched well enough to earn her second collegiate victory. She lasted all seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out seven batters.
“She’s a very steady performer,” Blood said. “It was nice to see her come out strong against a very reputable squad. She did very, very
well.”
Blood also noted that although early in the game Tomlinson often fell behind in
the count, but after she began to consistently throw first pitch strikes, she was able to use her full arsenal of pitches to baffle hitters for the rest of the game.
Links:
[1] http://cornellsun.com/node/28728