Box Score
MEDFORD - With the tie-breaker rule in effect and Tufts senior Chrissie Massrey on second base, an errant throw on a bunt allowed her to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as the Tufts softball team took a 2-1 victory over Wheaton on Tuesday at Spicer Field.
Wheaton (30-9) had rallied for a run against Tufts All-American pitcher Allyson Fournier to tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth. However, the second-ranked Jumbos (33-3) were able to finish their regular-season with a win and take a 19-game winning streak into the post-season.
Through five innings, Fournier had allowed just two hits. Wheaton sophomore CF Emma Hart blooped a bunt over her head in the first and senior catcher Ashley Vertente lined a single to left in the fifth.
Tufts was not having much more success against Wheaton starter Emily Berardi. They managed a single run in the third as junior 3B Bri Keenan hit a one-out single, stole second and scored on a single up the middle by sophomore SS Christina Raso. Berardi would go five innings allowing four hits and just the one run for the Lyons.
Wheaton tied the game against Fournier in the sixth after first-year LF Rebecca Seifert was hit by a pitch to lead-off. Another bunt single by Hart and a walk to senior SS Jenna Rocha loaded the bases. The Jumbos got an out at the plate on a fielder's choice, but first-year pinch hitter Caroline Fairbanks singled to left scoring Hart to tie the game. With the bases still loaded, Fournier got a strikeout to end the inning.
Sophomore Jillian Rocha pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings for Wheaton, allowing just one hit. A Tufts error gave the Lyons a runner with two outs in the seventh, but Jumbo senior catcher Jo Clair ended the inning by catching the runner stealing.
Heading to extras, Wheaton bunted tie-breaker runner Seifert to third successfully but could not get her home. The Jumbos won it in the next frame on an error during Keenan's bunt.
Fournier improved to 16-0 with the win, going eight innings allowing four hits and a run with 11 strikeouts and two walks. Ruscz had two of Tufts' five hits.
First-year Danielle Cimino pitched the eighth for the Lyons and was the unlucky losing pitcher. Hart had two of Wheaton's four hits.
The victory was the second of the day for Tufts. They defeated MIT earlier at Spicer Field, 4-3.
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