Box Score
MINNEOLA, FL - First-year Cassie Ruscz hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to lead the Tufts softball team to a 7-2 victory over regional rival Eastern Connecticut in a game in Floriday on Sunday.
The home run was the second of the day for Ruscz, who had also hit one in the Jumbos' prevous game against Worcester State. Ruscz also had a run-scoring double against the Warriors.
The game wa a pitcher's duel through five innings between Jumbo junior Allyson Fournier and Eastern's Emily Komornik. Fournier allowed just one hit through five innings. Though Tufts had base-runners in the first and second, Komornik had elimated the threats and it was 0-0 through five.
Tufts senior catcher Jo Clair led off the sixth with a surprising bunt single. She then came around to score on Ruscz's double to center field. Senior 1B Chrissie Massrey and junior CF Michelle Cooprider both followed with singles, with Cooprider's scoring Ruscz. A ground-out by sophomore SS Christina Raso plated Massrey and Tufts led 3-0.
Eastern (1-5) broke through against Fournier for two runs in the bottom of the sixth on an rbi double by junior Sam Rossetti which scored sophomore Alyssa Hancock – who reached on a walk - and a run-scoring single by junior Shannon Martin.
In the top of the seventh, junior 2B Gracie Marshall led off with a single for Tufts and moved to third on a double by senior LF Sara Hedtler. Clair was intentionally walked and Ruscz made Eastern pay with a grand slam to center. The Jumbos led 7-2 and Fournier finished off the win.
Ruscz finished 2 for 4 with five rbis for Tufts. Cooprider, Hedtler, and first-year RF Shelby Lipson all had two hits. Clair scored twice. Going all seven, Fournier allowed four hits and the two runs with 12 strikeouts and two walks.
In her first start of the season, Komornik (0-1) shut out Tufts (3-1) on five hits through five innings of a scoreless contest. She was lifted after allowing a bunt single and an rbi double to open the sixth.
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