Box Score
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First year Chrissie Massrey's two-run single in the fifth ultimately made the difference for the Jumbos
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MEDFORD - The Tufts University softball team overcame a four-run deficit with two four-run innings to eventually triumph over Bates College, 9-7, in the NESCAC East opener on Saturday afternoon at Spicer Field.
The two squads exchanged runs in the first inning, as the first four Bobcats reached base. They could only score a single run on a fielder's choice by junior 1B Monica Berube (Plaistow, NH). For the Jumbos, junior CF Lizzy Iuppa (Paramus, NJ) led off with a single and then came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of first year C Jo Clair (Glastonbury, CT).
Bates pushed across a pair of runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 advantage. Sophomore 3B Mary Lewis (Gardiner, ME) reached on a one-out bunt single and then scored all the way from first base on junior RF Karen Ullmann's (Ramsey, NJ) double. The next batter, junior LF Courtney Talcott (Sutton, MA), singled home Ullmann. The Bobcats doubled their advantage to 5-1 in the third by scoring two runs on two bases-loaded walks.
Tufts did not wait around to erase the four-run Bates lead, tying the game with a four-run third inning. Junior 1B Lena Cantone (Southington, CT) singled with one out, while sophomore 2B Emily Beinecke (Concord, MA) walked and Clair reached on an infield single. First year LF Sara Hedtler (Wrentham, MA) brought across the first two runs with a double. An error later in the inning by Bates helped the Jumbos tie the score, 5-5.
Bates left two runners on base in the fourth inning, while Tufts left them loaded, to keep the score even at 5-5 entering the fifth inning. First year Lauren Giglio (Niskayuna, NY), who entered the game to pitch with one out in the third, was strong in the middle innings for the Jumbos. She limited Bates to just one run on two hits from the time she entered through the sixth.
Giglio helped the Jumbos take their first lead of the day in the fifth inning, as they put another four-spot on the scoreboard. The bases were packed before an out was recorded as junior SS Mira Lieman-Sifry (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY) walked and both junior 3B Katherine Darveau (Reading, MA) and Giglio were hit by pitches. Iuppa then reached on a bunt single that scored Lieman-Sifry from third base and was followed by a sacrifice fly from Cantone. Later, with two outs, first year Chrissie Massrey (San Juan Capistrano, CA) added a pair of insurance runs with a two-run single.
Tufts held a 9-5 lead into the seventh inning where Bates made a mini-run. Giglio was replaced by sophomore Rebecca DiBiase (Wellesley, MA) after the Bobcats already scored two and had the bases loaded. DiBiase struck out back-to-back batters and then forced a groundout to end the game and give the Jumbos the 9-7 victory.
Giglio did earn the win for Tufts going 3 2/3 innings and allowing just two runs on five hits. She walked five and struck out four, improving her record to 3-1. DiBiase earned her fourth save of the season with her perfect performance in the seventh.
Sophomore Caroline Gattuso (North Reading, MA) suffered the loss for Bates to fall to 2-1 on the year. She threw the final three innings for the Bobcats, giving up four runs and six hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts.
Seven Jumbos reached base multiple times as the team amassed 10 hits for the day. Iuppa, Cantone and Clair each had a pair of hits, while Massrey and Hedtler each drove in two runs.
Bates out-hit Tufts with 11, but they left 13 runners on base. Ullmann was 3 for 4 from the top spot in the lineup with a double and a walk. Sophomore AnnaMarie Martino (Plymouth, MN) had a three-hit day and junior Kristen Finn (Winthrop, MA) added two singles and two runs scored.
The Jumbos begin the conference season at 1-0 and are now 9-8 overall. Bates falls to 4-3 (0-1). The series concludes tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 12 pm at Spicer Field.
Game Box Score
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