Box Score 
MEDFORD – Tufts hit three rbi doubles in the third inning to erase an early 1-0 deficit and earn a 3-1 victory in game one of the 2013 NESCAC Softball Championship at Spicer Field on Friday afternoon.
The Jumbos (36-3) will play Middlebury College in the winner's bracket game four of the NESCAC tournament on Saturday at 12:30 pm. The Panthers defeated Bowdoin 3-0 in Friday's other opening-round game. Wesleyan (24-11) moves into the loser's bracket, where they will face the Bowdoin in game three on Saturday at 10 am.
Wesleyan had taken a 1-0 advantage over Tufts in the top of the second when sophomore SS Jill Gately led off with a home run off Tufts ace Allyson Fournier (South Windsor, CT). It was the first home run allowed by Fournier in 90 innings this spring, and just the fourth run she had allowed this season.
Tufts had runners on base in the second, but did not score. However, they broke through in the third after Hedtler led off with her second infield single of the game. She scored on double by sophomore LF Michelle Cooprider (Hopkinton, MA) down left field line. Junior catcher Jo Clair followed by looping a double to center, scoring Cooprider to give Tufts a 2-1 lead. Sophomore 1B Kris Parr (Austin, TX) hit the third double of the inning which plated Clair to put Tufts up 3-1.
Fournier allowed just three base-runners the rest of the way. She gave up three hits overall and struck out 13 while walking one in seven innings to improve to 17-1.
Wesleyan pitcher Su Pardo kept the Cardinals within striking distance with a solid outing. She allowed eight hits and three runs with six strikeouts and a walk in six innings. Back-to-back singles by Tufts' Clair and senior SS Emily Beinecke (Concord, MA) helped Tufts threaten to score insurance runs in the fifth, but Pardo got the next two outs on fly balls.
Hedtler and Clair led the Jumbos offensively, both going 2 for 3 with a run. Gately finished 2 for 2 for Wesleyan.
Game Box Score
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