(Photo Courtesy: Deanbulldogs.com)
BUZZARDS BAY- In a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, the Dean Bulldogs narrowly fell twice in both games to Mass Maritime. Dean drops to 0-9-1 while Mass Maritime improves to 7-5.
In a close matchup, early runs for the Bucs seemed to be the difference maker in the game. The Bucs struck first in the first inning with a one-out, two-run double by Ab'c'de Patane, scoring Kelsey Booker and Erin Donlan for a quick 2-0 lead.
In the top of the second, after two consecutive singles from Jilian Glynn and Gianna Bencivengo, the Bulldogs answered on a base hit by Shirley Chan, scoring Glynn from second. Following the one run, Dean could not produce any more scoring in the frame, as the next three batters would wound up going down 1-2-3, leaving two on the bases.
In the bottom of the third, a one-out throwing error by Chan cost the Bulldogs, as Patane would homer for her second hit on the day, extending the Bucs lead to 4-1. Despite Dean's two-run seventh, their comeback attempt fell short and lost 5-4 in game one.
Dean started game two strong thanks to a pair of runs scoring singles by Glynn and Marie, giving Dean a 3-0 lead. A two-run double to follow by Sari Albury had Dean comfortably in the driver’s seat up 5-0, by the fifth. Dean could not hold their lead, as they surrendered five runs to the Bucs in the bottom of their fifth.
After a few back-and-forth lead changes, the rest of the game, the Bucs pulled away, capped by three runs in the ninth to walk it off to win the finale 9-8.
When asked how her team can get back on track after two close losses, outfielder Jess Caruso stated, “In all honesty, we are in a groove, especially with each other. These games just slipped through the cracks”.
The Bulldogs are still searching for their first win, as they hit the road for Curry College on Friday, March 24th, at 3:00.