NEW HAVEN—Caitlin LaFerney shined bright in her Yale University home debut, firing a six-inning, complete-game four-hitter as the Bulldogs bested in-state rival Central Connecticut 10-2 during Friday’s Bulldog Invitational nightcap at 5K Corral Field.
LaFerney, a freshman, struck out five and walked one in the game as Yale won its second game of the day.
Earlier, the Bulldogs (4-8 overall) defeated the University of Maine, 6-2.
Against Central Connecticut, the Yale bats backed up LaFerney with an 8-hit attack.
Lauren Perren (1-for-2 with a sac fly) and Grace Westmoreland (2-for-4, double) both drove in three runs. Sophie Woodridge had two RBIs for the Bulldogs.
Central had actually taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Ashlyn Desaulniers (Southington) hit a solo home run, but the Bulldogs answered with four runs in the home half of the inning.
With one out, Kaitlyn Oikle and Ella Cross both singled and Elena Ohe (Fairfield) walked to load the bases. After Katie Donahey fouled out to first, Perren laced a two-run single to give Yale the lead.
Woodbridge also delivered a two-run single later in the inning to push the Bulldogs advantage to 4-1.
Yale then added two more runs in the fourth.
Oikle was hit by a pitch and stole second, before Cross tripled to right field (5-2). With two outs, Donahey walked and she and Oikle combined on a perfect double steal to make it a 6-2 game.
Four more runs would come in the sixth inning to end it.
Cross and Donahey walked and Ohe singled to load the bases with nobody out.
Perren’s plated one run with a sac fly before Westmore cleared the bases with a one-out three run double to end the game courtesy of the run rule.
For Central, the Blue Devils only managed four hits against LaFerney. In addition to Desaulniers going yard, Regan Vunak doubled while KC Machado and Sophia LoPiccolo both singled.
In Yale’s first game, the 7-2 win over Maine, Emma Taylor got the win. She gave up two runs over the seven innings, striking out three while walking just two.
Cross was 4-for-4 from the lead-off spot, scoring twice and plating two runs. Ohe also plated a pair with a single.
Yale returns to action on Saturday with an 11:15 a.m. rematch with the Blue Devils and a 3:45 showdown with the Black Bears again.
On Sunday, Yale will play Sacred Heart at 1:30 p.m.
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