Box Score SALEM, VA - Senior Allyson Fournier pitched a one-hit shutout and Tufts manufactured a run in the top of the sixth as the Jumbo Softball team earned a 1-0 victory over Linfield in Game 12 of the NCAA Finals on Sunday afternoon.
With the victory, head coach Cheryl Milligan's Jumbos advance to the NCAA Championship series against the University of Texas - Tyler. Tufts and the Patriots will play a best out of three series for the 2015 NCAA title. Game times are 1 pm and 3:30 pm on Monday with an if necessary game on Tuesday at 11 am.
The Jumbos (49-0) will compete for their third straight NCAA crown, which has never been accomplished in Division III softball. They have won 51 straight games, an NCAA Division III record.
> Watch Full Game Replay > NCAA Finals Day 4 Video Recap
> Tufts Post-Game Press Conference
> Linfield Post-Game Press Conference
> 2015 NCAA Div. 3 Softball Championship Finals Bracket
Linfield was eliminated from the tournament with a 39-15 final record.
Founier and Wildcats senior Montana McNealy waged a terrific pitcher's duel today. Fournier struck out nine with no walks while improving her record to 33-0. McNealy (30-8) allowed just an unearned run and three hits while striking out nine.
In the top of the sixth, Tufts first-year Raina Galbiati pinch hit for Samantha Siciliano and reached on an error. Siciliano re-entered and advanced to second on a sacrifice by sophomore RF Carrie Copacino. A ground out by senior LF Gracie Marshall sent Siciliano to third and she scored the game's only run when senior 3B Bri Keenan blooped an infield single to the second base bag.
Linfield had early base runners against Fournier, but couldn't capitalize. Senior RF Erin Carson hit a sharp one-out single to right in the bottom of the first for the Wildcats' lone hit. Fournier recorded a foul out and a ground out to strand her. In the bottom of the fourth, Linfield sophomore 3B Erin Kinney was hit by a pitch and sophomore pinch-runner Alex Andreotti stole second with two outs. Fournier left here there on a foul ball out to end the inning.
McNealy had retired the first 10 Jumbos before Keenan hit a one-out single in the fourth. She took second on a wild pitch with two outs, but McNealy was able to get a ground out to end the inning. Tufts had a chance to add an insurance run in the seventh when senior CF Michelle Cooprider led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch. McNealy retired the next three and the game went to the seventh with Tufts leading 1-0.
Cooprider, the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, made two excellent plays in the seventh to help Tufts preserve its lead. Kinney led off with a ball to shallow center on which Marshall from left, junior SS Christina Raso and Cooprider converged. Cooprider dove to catch the ball off the ground for the first out. She then recorded the final out ranging into right-center to catch a well-struck ball by sophomore DP Erin Tauscher.
Keenan led Tufts offensively with two hits and the game-winning rbi. Fournier retired the final 11 Linfield hitters after hitting Kinney with the pitch. She got outs on 20 of the final 21 Wildcat hitters.
Game Photos by Matt Healey / Tufts
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