Box Score 
MEDFORD – Junior SS Christina Raso went 3 for 3 with a home run and two runs scored as Tufts won game one of the 2015 NESCAC Softball Championship 2-0 over Middlebury College at Spicer Field on Friday afternoon.
The Jumbos (39-0) advance in the winner's bracket and will play Williams College on Saturday at 12:30 pm. The Ephs defeated Bowdoin 3-2 in 10 innings in game two on Friday. Middlebury (19-10) fell into the loser's bracket and will play Bowdoin in an elimination game on Saturday at 10 am.
Raso's home run to left in the bottom of the first gave Tufts and early 1-0 lead.
Middlebury would threaten against Tufts junior starter Erica County in the third, loading the bases with no outs. First-year LF Ali Della Volpe reached on an error followed by bunt singles from senior 2B Christina Bicks and junior RF Jackie Stern. Tufts went to the bullpen to bring on All-American Allyson Fournier and she retired three straight on a fly ball and two K's to douse the danger.
Raso's two-out double in the third put Jumbos on second and third with two outs. Middlebury junior starter Neve Stearns got a pop out to end the inning and keep the Tufts lead at 1-0.
Della Volpe led off the Middlebury fifth with a bunt single off Fournier, but she was caught stealing. Junior catcher Carlyn Vachow doubled with two outs in the sixth, but was stranded by a Fournier strike out.
The Jumbos added a run in the sixth following a lead-off single by Raso. She scored from first on a double to left-center by sophomore 1B Cassie Ruscz.
Fournier picked up the win in relief, going five innings allowing two hits and striking out nine.
Stearns had a good outing in a losing effort for Middlebury. She pitched six innings giving up six hits and two runs with six strikeouts and no walks.
The win was the 41st straight for Tufts.
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