CLERMONT, FL (March 18, 2023) - The Tufts University softball team had 31 hits in two games on opening day as the Jumbos won twice at The Spring Games on Saturday afternoon. Tufts topped Farmingdale State 11-3 in six innings and then defeated Hope College 8-1.
The Jumbos had 16 hits in the first game, led by four from senior SS
Josie Steinberg and three in the collegiate debut of
Kaitlyn Perucci. Junior
Sophia DiCocco went six innings pitching allowing five hits and three runs.
DiCocco retired the first six Hawks she faced and the Jumbos scored six times in the first two innings. First-year 2B
Haley Leimbach had an rbi double and senior catcher
Emma Jacobson ripped a two-run single to center when Tufts scored four times in their first at-bat of the season. In the second, Steinberg and senior 3B
Rachel Moore (2 for 4, four rbis) hit back-to-back rbi singles for a 6-0 Jumbo advantage.
The Hawks got to DiCocco for three in the third. After Christina Rodriguez singled to center field to lead off, Alyssa Cowen walked. The Jumbo defense hesitated on a bunt by Lauren Varagnolo right out in front of the plate, and then the throw hit the runner and Rodriguez scored. Jenna Giliberti grounded out for an rbi and then Priscilla Rivera singled to left field for another rbi and it was 6-3.
Another freshman rbi for the Jumbos by Perucci (3 for 4, 2 runs, 2 rbi) scored senior CF
Michelle Adelman (2 for 3, 3 runs) who had led off with a single and stole second. A single by Steinberg moved Perucci to third and she scored on Moore's ground out which made it an 8-3 lead.
Following a scoreless fifth by both teams, a two-run double by Moore in the bottom of the sixth brought the Jumbo margin up to 10-3. After a ground out moved Moore to third, first-year pinch-hitter
Lauryn Horita singled to the pitcher scoring the run that ended the game by the eight-run rule.
Cowen had a hit, walk and scored a run for the Hawks. Ava Shorr took the loss for Farmingdale (2-7), allowing 14 hits and 10 runs in five innings.
The Jumbos started strong again in the game versus Hope, plating two in the top of the first. Adelman hit Tufts' first home run of the season to get it started. Then back-to-back singles by Perucci and Steinberg were followed by an rbi single from
Keila McCabe.
Adelman's three-run triple to right center sparked the third, making it 5-0 Jumbos. She then scored on Perucci's base hit and McCabe later had another rbi single for a 7-0 Jumbo advantage.
Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher
Sky Johnson retired the first eight batters she faced before Hope's Kennedi Pochmara doubled down the left field line. Peyton Benjamin followed with a single to center field for an rbi and the Flying Dutch's only run of the game. Johnson got a fly ball to strand two runners and end the inning.
Hope reliever Samantha Vermeesch shut the Jumbos down for the third through sixth innings until Jacobson hit a home run to left-center in the seventh inning.
Johnson (5 IP, 4 H, 1 R) gave way to first-year
Emilie Doty who struck out five in two relief innings. The Jumbos had 15 more hits in the second game with three by Steinberg and two each from Moore, Adelman, Perucci, McCabe and Jacobson. Scoring twice each were Adelman, Perucci and Jacobson.
Sydney Zombo had two hits for Hope, while Vermeesch's strong relief outing was six innings giving up seven hits and two runs.
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