Softball Splits Weekend Double Headers

The softball team split both of its Ancient Eight series this weekend. The Red faced Harvard in Cambridge on Saturday. Cornell won the first game, 3-0, but lost the second, 5-7. Against Dartmouth, the Red lost the first 5-7, but redeemed itself in the return game, 10-2.
The softball team (27-7, 6-2 Ivy) lost its first two Ancient Eight games of the season against Dartmouth and Harvard. Last season the Red swept Dartmouth in its two game series, while dropping one against Harvard. The Red currently stands at the top of the Ivy South division, three games ahead of the next contender, Princeton.
[img_assist|nid=36577|title=Wound up|desc=The softball team picked up its first two losses of the Ivy league season this past weekend.|link=node|align=left|width=|height=0]
The first game against the Crimson was low scoring but dominated by the Red — in the second the Red trailed going into the final inning. Junior Elise Menaker homered to bring the Red within one, but the bats went quiet and the Red would eventually pick up a loss, 5-6.
Despite the efforts of senior Jessy Berkey, freshman Shannon Crane and junior Devon March, the team lost the first game of the Dartmouth series in the 10th inning. The Green was able to take the contest with a walk-off homer with one out.
The second game of the series was dominated by the Red. Junior Elise Menaker and March went 3-for-4, bringing in two RBIs together.
The team will have to keep winning if it hopes to hold off Princeton, however. But, the team lost three out of four games against the Tigers last season. Princeton also won the Ivy South division title, with an 18-2 record. The Tigers have not shown the same offensive brilliance as it did last season, they currently hold a 2-4 record.
With another 12 games to go in the Ivy League season, the Red will need to stay on top of its play if it wants to continue to dominate its division. The team’s current position in the divsion may change if the team continues to split its double headers against Ivy League opponents.