MEDFORD, MA (May 19, 2023) – The Tufts University softball team will play in the NCAA Regional Finals tomorrow after taking a 9-0 victory in five innings against Cabrini University in Game 5 of the tournament today at Spicer Field.
The Jumbos had lost 1-0 to Moravian University in the winner's bracket Game 3 earlier on Saturday. However, sophomore
Sky Johnson pitched a no-hitter and the Jumbo bats had 14 hits in the five-inning win over the Cavaliers to keep Tufts alive and move the team into the Finals.
Tufts (39-5) will now play Moravian for the Regional Championship tomorrow and will have to defeat the Greyhounds twice. The first game will start at 8:30 AM, moved up due to forecasted rain in Medford. If the Jumbos win, another game would be played to determine the Regional champion.
The winner will advance to the NCAA Super Regionals May 26-27.
Moravian 1, Tufts 0
Greyhound first-year pitcher Sarah DeStafano threw a two-hit shutout at the Jumbos to give Moravian the advantage in the Regional tournament in Saturday's first game. She struck out four and walked one while improving her record to 15-2.
The teams combined for just six hits in the game as Tufts junior pitcher
Sophia DiCocco was excellent as well. She gave up the only run unearned on a double-steal by the Greyhounds in the third inning. She went the distance allowing four hits with two walks and a strikeout.
In the top of the third, the Greyhounds scored without the help of a hit. Sophomore CF Jessica Forder reached on a fielder's choice, took second on a walk by first-year 2B Hailey Tanner and then sophomore 3B Holly Walter also reached on a fielder's choice sending Forder to third. With two outs, they executed a double-steal with a close safe call at second allowing the run to score.
Tufts would threaten in the fourth when senior 3B
Rachel Moore hit a one-out double. However, DeStefano was able to retire the next two hitters. A one-out double by Moravian RF Sydney Snyder was also nullified as the Greyhounds were called for base-runner interference later in the frame for the third out.
The Greyhounds had singles by Tanner and Walter in the fifth, but Tufts senior SS
Josie Steinberg cut down a run at the plate on a ground ball. DiCocco did the rest and it remained 1-0.
In the Tufts sixth, Tufts had runners on second and third following a one-out single by Steinberg and Moore reaching by fielder's choice and stealing second. However, DeStefano would get the last out of the sixth and then put the Jumbos down 1-2-3 in the seventh for the victory.
Tufts 9, Cabrini 0 (5 inn.)
In a must-win or the season is over Game 5 of the tournament, the Jumbos faced Cabrini senior pitcher Avery Byrnes who had just no-hit Husson University in a 4-0 Game 4 win. However, the Jumbos knocked Byrnes out early and Johnson would have the no-hitter allowing Tufts to play on.
The visiting team in the game, Tufts did not score in the first inning. However, they would get two in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth to pull away.
Meanwhile, Johnson would walk just one batter and strike out nine in her five innings to remain unbeaten this season at 12-0. It's her second no-no of the year, including at home against Wesleyan University on April 22.
Senior LF
Kat Yuzefpolsky hit a two-run single in the second. Moore's rbi double, a sac fly by first-year DP
Lauryn Horita and a run-scoring base hit by senior C
Emma Jacobson produced a three-run third. Doubles by first-year RF
Kaitlyn Perucci and senior CF
Michelle Adelman led the fourth-run fourth.
Perucci finished the game 3 for 4 with two runs and an rbi, while Moore went 2 for 4 with two runs and an rbi. Adelman scored three times while going 2 for 2 and Jacobson was 3 for 3 with two knocked in.
Byrnes (19-7) took the loss for the Cavaliers (30-14), allowing seven hits and four runs in two innings. First-year Daphne Santos finished up allowing seven hits and five runs in three innings.
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--JUMBOS--
