Box Score CAMBRIDGE - The #1 ranked Tufts Softball team remained undefeated (29-0) with a pair of close non-league victories at MIT on Tuesday afternoon. The Jumbos went extra to win game one 5-4 in nine innings, then ace Allyson Fournier fired a one-hitter in game two's 2-0 victory.
With the tie-breaker rule in effect, Tufts sophomore Cassie Ruscz singled home senior Bri Keenan with two outs in the top of the ninth putting Tufts ahead 5-4 in game one. Fournier, who had entered in relief in the seventh inning, retired the Engineers 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to record the win.
Keenan stayed red hot and led Tufts to a 4-0 advantage in game one. In the first, she hit a one-out double and scored on a two-out single to right by senior CF Michelle Cooprider. Keenan was the catalyst for the second Tufts run in the third as well. She led off with a bunt single, stole second and scored on Ruscz's single to right. Keenan's two-run double put Tufts ahead 4-0 in the fourth.
The host Engineers rallied to tie the game with four in the fifth. They loaded the bases with no outs including a single by Monica Shifflet. Thefirst two runs scored on a Tufts error. Tori Jensen then singled through the right side for two more runs tying the score.
The Jumbos would go on to win their fifth one-run game of the season in the ninth. Keenan led Tufts at 3 for 5 with three runs and two rbis. Ruscz finished 3 for 4 with two rbis and Cooprider had four hits with an rbi. The Jumbos finished with 11 hits.
Junior Erica County started for Tufts and went 6.2 innings allowing five hits and four runs (two earned) with four strikeouts and two walks. Fournier came on and pitched 2.1 innings allowing no hits and no runs with four K's for the win.
Ellie Fodor went the distance in game one for the hosts giving up 11 hits and five runs with nine strikeouts and three walks in nine innings. The Engineers finished with five hits, no one in the order recording more than one.
Fodor singled to right-center with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in game two breaking up a no-hitter by Fournier. The Jumbo All-American struck out 17 and walked three while improving to 18-0.
Alexandra Marshall matched zeros with Fournier through four innings until Tufts scored twice in the fifth. With one out, junior Christina Raso singled up the middle and advanced to second when Shelby Lipson reached by error. Both scored when reigning NESCAC Player of the week Raven Fournier tripled to right field.
Raso was the only player in game two to finish with two hits.
Marshall pitched seven innings allowing six hits and two runs (one earned) for MIT, who dropped to 22-6 with the losses.
The Jumbos are back in action on Wednesday when they host a double-header at home against Endicott beginning at 3 pm. MIT next welcomes Salve Regina for two on Friday.
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