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First year Jo Clair hit her sixth home run of the season
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MEDFORD - After building a 4-0 lead through three innings, the Tufts University softball team needed extra innings to come away with a walk-off victory, 6-5, in nine innings over the Ephs of Williams College on a chilly Thursday afternoon at Spicer Field.
The Jumbos jumped ahead early in the first inning after junior 1B Lena Cantone (Southington, CT) reached on a one-out single. A passed ball and a wild pitch moved Cantone to third base, then sophomore 2B Emily Beinecke (Concord, MA) walked. Beinecke stole second base to set up first year Jo Clair's (Glastonbury, CT) two-run base hit.
Tufts sophomore starting pitcher Rebecca DiBiase (Wellesley, MA) was faced with tough situations in the first two frames, but she kept the Ephs off the board by stranding four base runners.
A Williams error in the bottom half of the second scored Tufts sophomore RF Liz Pinzino (Marlboro, MA) from third base after she had reached on a walk to begin the inning. Tufts made it 4-0 on Clair's sixth home run of the season in the third inning, a shot to left field.
The Ephs fought back in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on three hits. Sophomore SS Merrilee Weston (Stamford, CT) drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center field, which scored senior RF Carly Ameen (North Adams, MA). Ameen had reached with one out due to an error. After DiBiase walked sophomore LF Cedar Blazek (Highlands Ranch, CO), first year Ally Ensor (Sugar Land, TX) connected on a two-out, two-run single to pull Williams within one, 4-3.
Each side was scoreless in the fifth inning, then in the sixth, Williams took advantage of a lead-off walk. With two on and two out, one of five Jumbo errors on the afternoon brought home the tying run.
For the second straight day Tufts went to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Williams took its first lead at 5-4 on another sacrifice fly by Weston. The Jumbos answered in the bottom half when first year LF Sara Hedtler (Wrentham, MA) sacrificed the runner to third base, and then Pinzino tied the game with an RBI groundout.
DiBiase closed the door on the Ephs in the top of the ninth, while getting the help of her defense on a caught stealing. This set the stage for the Jumbos in the home half of the inning.
With one out, Cantone came through with a double to left-center field that Williams first year CF Ali Graebner (Milburn, NJ) went all out for, but could not get to it.
DiBiase earned the victory for the Jumbos, her first of the year, by pitching the complete nine innings. All five runs she allowed were unearned, and she surrendered eight hits while striking out three and walking three.
Senior Mary Beth Daub (Claremont, CA) threw the final 6 1/3 innings for the Ephs, and suffered the defeat to drop to 3-2. She had a strong outing in a losing effort, allowing three runs (one earned) on just two hits. She struck out nine and walked three.
The Jumbos had just six hits for the day, with two each coming from Cantone and Clair. Clair finished with a three-rbi game, while Iuppa and first year C Chrissie Massrey (San Juan Capistrano, CA) accounted for the other two Tufts hits.
Senior Caitlyn Cain (Houston, TX) and Blazek each had two hits for the Ephs, and both Weston and Ensor finished with a pair of runs driven in.
Tufts jumps back to .500 at 8-8 and will open up NESCAC East play on Saturday afternoon with a 3 pm game against Bates at Spicer Field. Williams falls to 8-5 and will play a doubleheader against Colby at Babson on Saturday at 3:30.
Game Box Score
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