Box Score CLERMONT, Fla. – Senior Maggie Hoffman and junior Raven Fournier both capped big offensive games with home runs as the Tufts University softball team won 11-3 in six innings over Buffalo State on Sunday.
The Jumbos trailed 3-2 early before Fournier hit a three-run home run as part of a five-run second inning that put them up 7-3. Hoffman's two-run homer in the fourth made it 9-3. Freshman Jamie Stevens also homered for Tufts.
Hoffman was perfect at the plate going 4 for 4 with four runs scored and three rbis. Fourner was also perfect at 2 for 2 with a walk, the three rbis and two runs.
The Jumbos scored twice in the top of the first and Hoffman started it with a one-out single. After Hoffman took second on a passed ball and went to third on a single by Fournier, both players scored when Summer Horowitz's ball to right field was misplayed.
The Tigers rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Julia Blujus led off with a single and then Laura Crooks was hit by a pitch. Danielle Szymkowiak and Allie Block both reached on fielder's choices, scoring Blujus. Nicole Adams walked to bring home a second run, then Victoria Rigler singled through the right side plating Szymkowiak for a 3-2 Tigers lead. Block was thrown out at the plate on a Jumbo relay from Fournier in right to SS Christian Cain to catcher Sarah Finnigan. Buffalo State left two runners also on as Stevens got a force-out at third to end the inning.
Tufts turned the game around with its five runs in the second. Junior P Raina Galbiati earned a lead-off walk and junior CF Carrie Copacino reached on an error. Both stole bases and junior 2B Samantha Siciliano hit a sac fly to score Galbiati tying the game. Tufts went ahead when Hoffman's single to center brought home Copacino. Then came Fournier's home run to center and Tufts was up 7-3.
Hoffman extended the margin to 9-3 with her two-run home run in the fourth. Siciliano had reached on catcher's interference and scored on the shot. The Jumbos added single runs in the fifth on a solo home run by Stevens, and in the sixth on a lead-off double by Hoffman, a passed ball and a sac fly by Michelle Chisdak.
Galbiati earned her second win of the week with five innings allowing four hits and three runs with two strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Amolee Hawkins hurled a scoreless inning of relief for the Jumbos.
Bujus had two hits at the top of the Buff State line-up. Starting pitcher Scarlett Whitman took the loss, giving up five hits and seven runs (none earned) with a walk in two innings.
#
