Spicer Field Site Of NCAA Softball Regional For Fifth Time Starting Thursday

MEDFORD, MA (May 17, 2023) - For the fifth time since Tufts University's Spicer Field was refurbished prior to the start of the 2015 season, the Jumbo softball team will host an NCAA Tournament Regional Thursday through Saturday (May 18-20) this week.

The Jumbos (37-4) welcome Cabrini University (29-12), Husson University (30-12-1) and Moravian University (32-8) to Spicer for a double-elimination tournament that will send the winner on to the NCAA Super Regionals May 26-27.

Tournament Details:
2023 NCAA Div. III Medford (MA) Softball Regional
Dates: May 18-20, 2023
Location: Medford, MA – Spicer Field (Directions)
Coverage: VIDEO – LIVE STATS – NCAA BRACKET

Tufts hosted and won Regionals at Spicer in 2015 and last year. They have a 10-4 record on their home field in the regional round. The Jumbos have reached the Regional finals in each of their four previous times hosting, but In 2016 they lost to WPI and in 2019 the Jumbos fell to Eastern Connecticut.

The Tufts Jumbos (New England Small College Athletic Conference Runner-up)
NCAA Appearance - 21st (72-55)

One of the top teams statistically in Division III this year, head coach Lauren Ebstein's Tufts squad is ranked among the national top 10 in eight categories. Entering NCAA's, the pitching staff has the fifth-best earned run average in Division III with their 1.22 mark. The Jumbos are hitting .373 as a team which is fourth in the country. Their 7.37 runs per game is seventh in DIII.

Tufts has three pitchers who rank among the top 60 nationally for earned run average. Freshman Emilie Doty, who threw a perfect game at Babson this year, has a 1.02 earned run average that is 16th in the country. She's also 16th giving up just 4.18 hits per seven innings, and ninth with her 0.77 walks and hits to innings pitched ratio (WHP). Junior Sophia DiCocco, 29th in Division III with a 1.24 era, is 20th in WHP with a 0.84 mark. Sophomore Sky Johnson, who hasn't lost this spring (11-0), leads the staff and is 10th nationally with her 10.00 strikeouts to walks ratio.

Senior Rachel Moore, who plays third base, leads Tufts with a .447 batting average, while senior shortstop Josie Steinberg tops the team with 47 runs batted in. Senior center fielder Michelle Adelman has scored 45 runs in 40 games and stolen 17 bases. Bela Jimenez, a junior at second base, hits .435 out of the lead-off spot, and right fielder Kaitlyn Perucci (.390, 40 rbis) has provided middle-of-the-order production in her first season.

The Husson Eagles (North Atlantic Conference Champions) - Coming to Medford from Bangor, ME
NCAA Appearance - 12th (7-22)

Husson, Tufts' first-round opponent on Thursday, is also highly ranked in era with their 1.64 mark (15th) and has a 1.06 WHP that is 19th. The staff is led by senior McKenna Smith who brings a 20-5 record and 0.87 era to Medford. The Eagle bats have hit .310 with an average of 5.56 runs per game. Senior center fielder and lead-off hitter Katie Raymond (.358, 18 SBs) and junior SS Kenzie Dore (.352, 17 doubles) are the offensive leaders.

The Cabrini Cavaliers (Atlantic East Conference Champions) - Coming to Medford from Radnor PA
NCAA Appearance - 7th (9-12)

Cabrini, who will take on Moravian in Thursday's other first-round match-up, brings a .339 team batting average (5.68 runs per game) into the Regional and likes to run (111 stolen bases). Junior center fielder Ariana Mirenda leads the way with a .463 batting average and 36 steals which ranks 13th nationally. Sophomore Abby Tobelmann (.348, 26 steals) is the other Cavalier to watch on the basepaths. Senior Avery Byrnes at 18-5 with a 2.26 era leads the pitching staff which has a 2.71 era overall. Her 9.2 strikeouts per seven innings is 15th in DIII.

The Moravian Greyhounds (Landmark Conference Champions) - Coming to Medford from Bethlehem, PA
NCAA Appearance - 19th (46-39)

Moravian has a .328 team batting average and 5.75 runs per game, while they've pitched to a 2.04 earned run average. They're near a .400 on-base percentage, with sophomore Holly Walter (.394, 5 home runs, 16 steals) as their biggest offensive threat. Catcher Marcie Silberman in the clean-up spot has had a solid first year (.395, 5 home runs). Sophomore Madi Cunningham (15-5, 1.97) and first-year Sarah DeStefano (14-2, 1.93) have been a solid 1-2 in the circle for Moravian.

What's Next?

The winner of the Medford Regional will face the winner of a Regional taking place just a few miles from Tufts at MIT this weekend. The Engineers (32-6) are hosting Simmons University (25-14), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (32-9) and Endicott College (35-7). Whoever moves on from the Super Regional will play in the NCAA DIII Finals at East Texas Baptist University starting June 1.