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Junior Lena Cantone had three two-run hits against Fontbonne
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CLERMONT, FL - Junior 1B Lena Cantone (Southington, CT) drove home seven runs in two games, and sophomore pitcher Rebecca DiBiase (Wellesley, MA) saved both games as the Tufts University softball team won its first two of the year over Fontbonne and Wisconsin-Stevens Point at the NTC Spring Tournament on Monday.
The Jumbos won 10-7 against Fontbonne, scoring three times in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead. Tufts was up 7-1 against UWSP and then held on for a 7-6 victory as the Pointers scored five times in the top of the seventh.
A two-run single in the top of the second by Cantone helped Tufts take a 3-1 lead against Fontbonne and was a sign of things to come. She would finish the game with six rbi. The margin expanded to 4-1 in the third on first year Jo Clair's (Glastonbury, CT) solo home run. However, Fontbonne scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-4 advantage. A two-run single by junior 1B Amanda Beaver highlighted the inning.
Clair's second home run of the game in the fifth made it a one-run difference at 6-5. Cantone was then at the center of another three-run inning for Tufts, hitting her second two-run single as the Jumbos surged to a 8-6 lead in the sixth. The Griffins pulled within 8-7 on an rbi single by Beaver in the bottom of the sixth.
Cantone was at it again in the top of the seventh, hitting a two-run double for insurance runs that put Tufts ahead 10-7. In the bottom of the seventh, the Griffins brought the winning run to the plate. However, DiBiase recorded the last three outs - two by strikeout - to close the victory.
Cantone finished 3 for 5 with the 6 rbi and a run scored. Clair was 3 for 4 with 3 rbi and 2 runs scored. Junior CF Lizzy Iuppa (Paramus, NJ) scored three runs. DiBiase allowed just one hit in two innings for her first save. First year Lauren Giglio (Niskayuna, NY) earned the win, the first of her collegiate career.
Beaver finished 2 for 2 with 3 rbi for Fontbonne. First year Sarah Cerutti scored twice and drove home a run at the top of the order.
Cantone singled to lead off the Wisconsin-Stevens Point game, stole seccond and scored on a single by Clair. First year 3B Kayla Holland (Attleborough, MA) hit a two-run double in the second and Tufts got out to a 4-0 lead.
Junior catcher Kelly Arndt led off the UWSP third with a double and eventually scored on a Jumbo miscue. Tufts added two runs in the fifth, one on a single by first year LF Sarah Hedtler (Wrentham, MA). An unearned run in the sixth made it 7-1 Jumbos.
They would need all of the runs as the Pointers stormed back, recording seven hits in the inning. Senior 2B Sarah Butts hit a two-run single and then scored to pull UWSP within 7-6. With the tying run on second, DiBiase came on and got a strikeout to save the victory.
Cantone (2 for 4, 2 rbi, 1 run), Holland (2 for 4, 2 rbi), Clair (3 for 4, 1 rbi, 1 run) and Hedtler (2 for 3, 1 rbi, 1 run) were the heart of the Tufts offense. Senior Izzie Santone (Madison, CT) allowed just one run in the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. She struck out seven with no walks and earned the victory.
Arndt was 2 for 3 with 2 runs for the Pointers, while Elyse Nelson went 2 for 2 and Butts finished 1 for 2 with 2 rbi and a run scored. Sara Babbits pitched 1.2 innings in relief without allowing an earned run.
Tufts plays NTC Spring Games against Manchester and Wisconsin-Superior on Tuesday.
Fontbonne Box Score
Wisconsin-Stevens Point Box Score
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