Box Score
CLERMONT, FL - First-year Cassie Ruscz hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to propel the second-ranked Tufts softball team past Keene State, 6-4, on Saturday in Florida.
The Jumbos had trailed 4-0 early as the Owls plated a run in the first and three more in the second. After scoring three unearned in the fifth, Tufts overcame Keene in the top of the seventh and junior All-American Allyson Fournier came on for the save in the bottom of the inning.
Sophomore pitcher Erica County did a superb job in relief when Jumbo senior Lauren Giglio was hit for the first time this week. After Keene scored its four runs, County came on in the third and went four innings allowing just three hits and no runs.
The Owls had the lead by the end of the first inning. Stephanie Long singled up the middle to lead off, and moved all the way to third on a bunt and a Tufts error. Heather Pelletier brought in Long with a sacrifice fly to center.
KSC brought in three more in the bottom of the second. Anna Glassman started things off with a walk, taking second on a single up the middle by Katie Newell. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and after Giglio retired the next two KSC batters, Long doubled home a pair of runs with a hit to left-center. Bracken followed with a triple to to right and the Owls had a 4-0 lead.
Meanwhile, KSC starter Mariah Crisp limited the Jumbos to one runner past first base in the first four innings. However, with County keeping Keene in check, the Jumbo bats produced three unearned runs in the fifth. Chrissie Massrey, Michelle Cooprider, Jo Clair and Gracie Marshall had singles in the inning.
However, the Jumbos still trailed entering the seventh. Clair singled with one out and then Ruscz hit a rocket shot to left for a two-run tater that put Tufts up 5-4. Marshall would add an insurance run by getting a base hit and scoring on an error.
After Keene's Kayla Votto doubled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Fournier came on and got two K's and a fly out to end the game.
Clair and first-year Shelby Lipson both had three hits for Tufts, with Clair scoring twice. Marshall finished 2 for 4 with a run and an rbi.
Long led an eight-hit KSC attack by batting 3 for 4 with two rbi and two runs scored.
Some information used in this recap courtesy of Keene State College
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