MEDFORD – The 17th ranked Tufts University softball team moved to 6-0 in NESCAC East play with a double-header sweep of Trinity College, 11-3 (five innings) and 8-1, on Saturday afternoon at Spicer Field.
Trinity's only lead of the day came in the first inning of game one when they plated one run on two hits. Sophomore CF Christina Galese (Fairfield, NJ) led off by reaching on an error and was sacrificed to second base by junior 1B Kerry McCarthy (Andover, MA). After the second out moved Galese to third, she was brought home on an rbi single by sophomore catcher Abigail Ostrom (Carlisle, MA).
Tufts quickly turned the tide in its favor in the bottom of the first as the first two batters reached via a walk. Two batters later sophomore catcher Jo Clair (Glastonbury, CT) launched her fifth homer of the year to the opposite field to make it 3-1 Jumbos.
The Bantams were able to answer in the top of the second after senior Katherine Poulos (Wilton, CT) and junior LF Amelia Mostovoy (San Francisco, CA) walked and singled respectively. Senior RF Kristina Yu (Andover, NH) sacrificed both runners over to lead to a run-scoring single by Galese and an rbi groundout from McCarthy.
Each team went in order the next two half-innings before the Jumbos regained the lead in the third with three runs on three hits. Junior 2B Emily Beinecke (Concord, MA) hit a bases-loaded single to knock in two runs. Then she and Clair executed a double steal of second and home to push the Tufts advantage to 6-3.
Tufts added a run in the fourth after senior shortstop Mira Lieman-Sifry (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY) led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly from first-year LF Michelle Cooprider (Hopkinton, MA).
The Jumbos walked off with the win in the fifth without recording an out. Senior 1B Lena Cantone (Southington, CT) singled and Clair walked to begin things. Then first-year Gracie Marshall (Palo Alto, CA) stroked an rbi single, first-year 3B Kris Parr (Austin, TX) knocked a two-run double and sophomore Chrissie Massrey (San Juan Capistrano, CA) gave Tufts the victory with an rbi double.
Junior Rebecca DiBiase (Wellesley, MA) picked up the win in five innings for Tufts, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits. She struck out three and walked one to move her record to 7-2 on the year. First-year Katerina Kolbe (Washington, DC) took the loss after throwing four-plus innings, surrendering nine runs and six hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
Cantone and Massrey each had two hits for the Jumbos in game one while Clair checked in with a team-high three rbi. For Trinity, Mostovoy was 2 for 2 with a run scored.
Game two was scoreless through the first two-and-a-half innings. Tufts sophomore pitcher Lauren Giglio (Niskayuna, NY) allowed two hits and one walk during that stretch, but she stranded all three runners on base.
Poulos, the Trinity starting pitcher, retired the first six Jumbos in order before Tufts pushed across four runs on four hits in the third inning. Sophomore RF Kayla Holland (Attleborough, MA) led off with her first home run of the season. Then Lieman-Sifry walked and Massrey doubled to put two runners in scoring position.
Senior CF Lizzy Iuppa (Paramus, NJ) reached on a bunt to load the bases for Cantone, who drove home a run with a single. Clair chipped in with a sacrifice fly for her fourth rbi of the day. Iuppa eventually scored on a throwing error.
The Bantams plated their lone run of the game in the fourth inning after Ostrom was walked to begin the frame. Giglio struck out the next two batters, but Ostrom would score on a base hit by first-year 2B Miranda Riendeau-Card (Bowdoinham, ME).
Holland led off the fourth for Tufts with a double and scored later on an error. In the fifth inning the first three Jumbos reached base. Cantone and Clair singled, and then both were brought home on a double by Marshall. Two batters later Holland doubled again for her third extra-base hit and second rbi of the game.
Trinity stranded three runners over the final two innings against Giglio and junior Aly Moskowitz (Westfield, NJ), who relieved Giglio for the seventh inning.
Giglio (3-0) earned the victory in six innings. She allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Moskowitz allowed one base-runner in the seventh on a walk. Poulos (3-6) suffered the loss giving up eight runs (six earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Holland was a perfect 3 for 3 for the Jumbos with the homer, two doubles and two rbi. Cantone finished 2 for 4 with an RBI while Marshall drove in two runs and scored in her only plate appearance of game two.
Riendeau-Card accounted for two of Trinity's three hits with the other coming from Ostrom. Ostrom also walked to finish 1 for 2 in the game.
The Jumbos remain atop the NESCAC East standings at 6-0 and 19-3 overall. Trinity falls to 2-4 and 8-9. Tufts has a week off before returning to league play on Friday at Colby at 4 pm. The Bantams play a double-header Tuesday against non-league foe Eastern Connecticut at 4 pm.
Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score
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