Box Score MEDFORD - Senior CF Michelle Cooprider hit a two-run home run to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth and first-year catcher Raven Fournier singled home the game-winning run in the ninth as the Tufts Softball team defeated MIT, 3-2, to win an NCAA Championship Regional final at Spicer Field today.
The Jumbos advance to the NCAA Super Regionals against WPI later this week. The Engineers won the Williamstown Regional with a 4-0 victory against Williams College today. The dates, location and times for the Tufts and WPI games will be announced later tonight. The teams will be playing for a berth into the NCAA Finals in Salem, Virginia May 21-26.
MIT, which needed to defeat Tufts twice today in order to take the regional crown, seemed to be in control of the game. They had three hits in the first inning off Tufts ace Allyson Fournier, singles by sophomore LF Natalie Shifflet, first-year CF Jasmin Joseph and first-year SS Mandy Lee. They took advantage of two Jumbo errors in the frame to score twice and lead 2-0.
Jasmin hit a one-out double in the third for MIT, but was stranded. The visitors then loaded the bases on singles by first-year RF Katie Shade, Shifflet and Joseph. However, Fournier doused the threat with back-to-back strikeouts. Still, the Engineers had seven hits in the first five innings.
Meanwhile, MIT junior pitcher Lexi Marshall held Tufts to one hit and a walk through five innings.
Tufts, struggling offensively and with a mind toward resting Fournier for a potential second game, sent junior Erica County on in relief to start the sixth. She blanked the Engineers and then Tufts senior 3B Bri Keenan hit a one-out single to left-center in the bottom of the inning. Cooprider followed with a line drive which cleared the fence in left to tie the game at 2-2.
County returned for the seventh, but ran into trouble with two outs when Joseph walked and Lee followed with a single. Fournier re-entered and got a strike out to keep the score 2-2.
Both Marshall and Fournier allowed base-runners in the eighth, but neither scored. Fournier then recorded a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Tufts junior SS Christina Raso led off with a single to center. An MIT error on a sacrifice attempt put Jumbos at first and third with no outs. Marshall was relieved by senior Ellie Fodor, and the Engineers were able to cut Raso down at the plate on senior RF Gracie Marshall's ground ball to Lee at short. However, Raven Fournier hit a sharp grounder through the left side of the infield scoring sophomore DP Shelby Lipson with the game-winning run.
Fournier was named the Regional's Most Outstanding Player after winning twice earlier in the weekend and returning to shut down MIT in the late innings today. In all, she went 7.1 innings today allowing eight hits and two runs (both unearned) with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
Raso had two of Tufts' six hits. She, Cooprider and Keenan earned spots on the All-Tournament team.
MIT finished with 10 hits, led by All-Tournament recipient Joseph at 3 for 4. All-Tournament selection Shifflet was 2 for 5, while Lee also made All-Tournament and went 2 for 4 in the final. First-year 1B Zoe Hinton also finished with two hits.
MIT's season ended with a 29-10 record. Tufts (44-0) extended its NCAA record winning streaks to 46 overall and 44 this season.
Game Photos by Matt Healey / Tufts
#
