BRUNSWICK, ME - The Tufts University softball team rallied to take the opener, 8-2, and Bowdoin's Melissa DellaTorre earned her second win in as many days in the nightcap, 2-1, as the NESCAC East Division rivals split a doubleheader Saturday at Pickard Field.
The Polar Bears, who took two wins in the three-game set, earn their first NESCAC series win over Tufts in the 10-year history of the league. Bowdoin improves to 17-14 (6-3 NESCAC) while Tufts is now 14-14 (4-2 NESCAC).
Tufts scored three times in both the fourth and fifth innings to rally in game one. The Jumbos loaded the bases on an error and two hits in the fourth and scored on consecutive passed balls to take a 2-1 lead. Senior Kim Miner (Concord, MA) then rapped an rbi groundout to give the visitors a 3-1 edge. Tufts mounted a more conventional rally in the fifth, keyed by a two-run double by Emily Beinecke (Concord, MA).
Sophomore Rebecca DiBiase (Wellesley, MA) earned the win for Tufts, tossing six innings and allowing just three Bowdoin hits and one earned run. Mira Lieman-Sifry (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY) led the Jumbos' attack with four hits, including two runs and an rbi. Beinecke collected a trio of hits in the win. Bowdoin's Hanna Wurgaft had two of her team's three hits as Tricia Thibodeau took the loss by allowing six earned runs and 13 hits.
Bowdoin rebounded in game two behind a stellar performance by DellaTorre, who allowed just one earned run and struck out eight in the victory. The Polar Bears got all the offense they needed in the second inning as Casey Correa plated Hillary Smyth with a single and DellaTorre helped her own cause with an rbi hit that scored Molly Nestor to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
Tufts trimmed the lead to a single run in the sixth as Sara Hedtler's (Wrentham, MA) single scored Lieman-Sifry to make it 2-1. The Jumbos pieced together one final rally in the top of the seventh, putting runners on first and second with two outs. However, DellaTorre survived a long at-bat to record a strikeout and seal the victory for Bowdoin.
Caroline Dewar and DellaTorre had two hits apiece for Bowdoin in the win. Beinecke had three more hits in game two for the Jumbos. Lauren Giglio (Niskayuna, NY) took the loss in the circle for Tufts, allowing both Bowdoin runs in two innings before being replaced by DiBiase, who allowed just two hits over the final four frames.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
#
Game release courtesy of Bowdoin College
