Hope Scores Twice in 7th Inning to Defeat Softball, 3-2

CLERMONT, Fla. - Hope College scored twice in the top of the seventh inning and then senior pitcher Sydney Jones put Tufts down in order in the bottom of the inning giving the Flying Dutchmen a dramatic 3-2 win over the Jumbos in college softball action on Monday morning.

Senior Sarah Finnigan had one of Tufts' rbis

With Hope trailing 2-1 entering the seventh, senior Katie Singer and freshman Savannah Dixon hit back-to-back singles. Jones, pinch-running for Singer, scored on a Tufts error that allowed Dixon to get to third. She later scored the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to the left side by Shay Pinhey. In the bottom of the inning, Jones retired the final two Tufts batters swinging on strikes.

The Jumbos had built a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Senior 2B Samantha Siciliano led off with a walk, went to second on an error, took third on another walk and then scored on a single by senior RF Raven Fournier. Junior LF Kristen Caporelli, who had reached on the error, then scored on a fielder's choice by senior catcher Sarah Finnigan.

The Flying Dutch cut the margin in half with a single run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Sierra Mutschler singled to left. Pinch-runner Alex Knorp scored all the way from first on a single by Singer and a Tufts error on the play.

All three runs scored against Jumbo freshman pitcher Kristi Van Meter were unearned. She went the distance allowing five hits and striking out six with no walks, but took her first loss.

Jones pitched the first four innings for Hope, gave way to Singer for the fifth and sixth, and then returned in the seventh. In all, she allowed two hits and two runs (one earned) with nine K's and three walks in five innings. Singer pitched two scoreless frames giving up two walks and a hit in her two innings. Together they surrendered just three hits to a Tufts team that had scored 35 runs in its previous three games.

The teams combined for just eight hits, with two by Singer for Hope.

The Jumbos will play their second game of the day against Allegheny at 2 p.m. Hope will face Wisconsin-Eau Clair later on Monday.

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