Paris' Pinch-Hit Triple Wins Second Game

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Rachel Paris had one of the most difficult jobs of the day against Cornell, but she delivered in a big way. Asked to pinch hit after sitting in the dugout for nearly three hours on a very brisk afternoon at Dewitt Family Field, Paris ripped a two-run triple as Yale completed a doubleheader sweep with a 3-1 victory over the Big Red.

Yale cruised to a 9-2 win in the first game.

Paris' clutch hit came in the fifth inning with the score tied at 1-1. Allison Skinner started the rally with a double to right field. With two outs, Laina Do walked, setting the stage for Paris, who belted a long ball into the right-centerfield gap.

"A lot of different people have stepped up for us this year, and it was great to see Rachel come through when we really needed her," said Yale head coach Jen Goodwin.

Francesca Casalino was outstanding in the circle for the Bulldogs. She mostly handled a potent Cornell lineup with ease, but did run into trouble in the sixth inning when the Big Red loaded the bases with no outs. Casalino, though, got Leanne Iannucci to hit a grounder to third where Skinner started a nifty 5-2-3 double play. Rebecca Kebena then grounded out to short with runners on second and third to end the inning.

"To get two of Cornell's toughest hitters out [in the sixth] really shows how tough Francesca is," Goodwin said. "She did an outstanding job against a very good hitting team."

Casalino limited the Big Red to five hits and struck out six without issuing a walk.

The Bulldogs had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning Brittany Labbadia scored on Camille Weisenbach's ground out.

Cornell (4-20, 1-7 Ivy) tied it in the fourth when Meg Parker homered to left field.

Yale outhit the Big Red 6-5.

The Bulldogs banged out 11 hits in the first game. Skinner was 3-for-4 and knocked in four runs. Lauren Delgadillo and Shelby Kennedy both added two hits.

Yale jumped on Cornell starter Sierra Stone for four runs in the first inning. Skinner's two-run single and an RBI single from Sydney Ginsberg were the highlights of the frame.

The Bulldogs then put it away with a five-run third inning. RBI singles from Sydney Glover, Labbadia and Kennedy got the scoring started, and Skinner capped the rally with a two-run double.

That was more than enough for starting pitcher Lindsay Efflandt, who tossed a complete game and scattered eight hits to earn her fourth win of the season.

The two wins allowed Yale to split its eight games against the Ivy League South Division. The Bulldogs are 11-21 overall.

"We really needed this sweep, and it couldn't have come at a better time. This will be a good confidence boost for us," Goodwin said. "Now the real battle begins. We are looking forward to moving to the four-game divisional series."

Before the Bulldogs can completely turn their attention to North Division play, they have a doubleheader at local rival Quinnipiac on Wednesday beginning at 3 p.m. Yale then hosts Harvard in a four-game series at Dewitt Family Field next Saturday and Sunday.

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