MEDFORD, MA (May 13, 2023) – The Tufts University softball team advanced to the NESCAC Championship Game with a 12-4 victory over Colby College in the semifinal round of the conference tournament today at Spicer Field.
The Jumbos (37-3) will play for their 13th NESCAC title tomorrow against Williams College, a 2-1 winner over Bates College in today's other semifinal at Spicer Field. Tufts and the Ephs, who have won 18 NESCAC championships between them, will meet on Sunday at 11:00 am at Spicer.
Tufts, playing as the visiting team in the semifinals against Colby, built a 3-0 lead through three innings and then added six in the fourth inning to pull away from the Mules. The Jumbos had 16 hits, with
Josie Steinberg,
Kaitlyn Perucci,
Nicole Russo and
Emma Jacobson all finishing with three.
Colby (24-14) had 12 hits of their own including two each by Chloe Wilcox, Jackie Hill, Carissa Cassidy and Amanda Cabral.
Tufts got one in the first when
Bela Jimenez was hit by a pitch, Steinberg followed with a single and Perucci brought in Jimenez with an infield single. They added two in the third with the help of a Colby error, another Perucci single, an rbi ground out from
Haley Leimbach and a run-scoring base hit by
Nicole Russo for a 3-0 lead.
The Mules cut the margin to 3-1 against Tufts starter
Sophia DiCocco in the third as Brenna Forbes singled and scored on a base hit by Hill. However, the Jumbos plated six in the fourth with a two-run single by Steinberg and an rbi base hit from
Michelle Adelman sandwiched around a play in which Colby made two errors allowing three runs to score.
Down 9-1, Colby was up against an eight-run defeat after five innings. However, Logan Luebbe homered to lead off the fifth, and then Wilcox singled and scored on a double by Cabral making it 9-3.
The teams traded home runs in the seventh to finish the scoring. Perucci (3 for 4, 3 runs, 3 rbis) hit a two-run shot in the top of the inning, then Wilcox led off the bottom of the inning with a solo blast.
The Jumbos used all three of their pitchers with DiCocco getting the win (13-2) going four innings allowing five hits and a run. Steinberg was 3 for 5 with two runs and two rbis, while
Kat Yuzefpolsky finished 2 for 4 with two runs.
Sam Ahlholm started for Colby and took the loss going 5.2 innings giving up 11 hits and six runs (four earned). Wilcox scored twice in the game.
Tufts will be in the NESCAC final tomorrow for the 18th time overall since 2001. This will the 10th time that the Jumbos and the Ephs have met for the title in that span.
--JUMBOS--
