Box Score MEDFORD – Junior 3B Jamie Stevens homered to left field in the top of the seventh to lead the 21st-ranked Tufts University softball team to a 5-4 NESCAC East Division victory over Bowdoin College on Friday afternoon at Spicer Field.
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| Edie Huling scored twice for the Jumbos this afternoon. |
Tufts (18-3, 4-0 NESCAC East) was playing as the visiting team though the game was at Spicer. The location was moved from Bowdoin due to poor field conditions, but the Polar Bears remained the home team on the scoreboard. With the game tied at 4-4, Stevens launched her fifth home run with one out in the seventh. Jumbo sophomore pitcher Kristi Van Meter then put the finishing touches on her ninth win with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh.
The Jumbos took a 1-0 lead in the first when a one-out single by sophomore shortstop Mia Steinberg was followed by a base hit from senior DH Christian Cain. After a walk to junior 1B Casey Maggiore loaded the bases, sophomore catcher Sofia Molina singled home Steinberg. However, Cain was thrown out trying to score by Bowdoin freshman CF Karlye Pallotta.
Bowdoin (12-8, 1-3 NESCAC East) had four of its five hits in the third inning when they took a 3-1 lead. Pallotta started it with a one-out double and then freshman RF Kasey Cunningham bunted for a single. Senior 1B Caroline Rice singled home Palotta and sophomore 2B Maddie Rouhana doubled home two runs putting the Polar Bears ahead by two.
The Jumbos tied the game in the fourth on a crazy wild pitch play. Sophomore RF Reegan Coleman singled and sophomore LF Edie Huling reached on an error. Coleman took off for third on a wild pitch and the throw sailed into the outfield allowing her to score. The speedy Huling also scored on the play tying the game at 3-3.
Tufts surged ahead 4-3 as Huling led off the sixth with a single. She was sacrificed to second by junior CF Maggie Lebinski and scored on a single through the right side by sophomore 2B Emma Della Volpe.
Bowdoin came back for the second time with a single run in the bottom of the sixth. Junior LF Allison Rutz walked with one out and scored on a double by sophomore pitcher Ruby Siltanen. That tied the score at 4-4 prior to Stevens' heroics for the Jumbos.
Van Meter allowed five hits and four runs with seven strikeouts and four walks in her seven innings. She improved to 9-1. Della Volpe, Steinberg and Stevens had two hits for Tufts. Huling scored twice.
Junior starter Kate Hoadley went 5.1 innings giving up nine hits and four runs for the Polar Bears. Only two were earned as Bowdoin committed three errors. Siltanen took the loss in relief (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1R).
The teams will play a double-header at Spicer tomorrow.
