CLERMONT, FL (March 19, 2024) – Junior
Sky Johnson pitched a one-hit shutout against Endicott College in a 3-0 victory as the Tufts University softball team took two more wins in Florida on Tuesday. The Jumbos also came from behind to win 12-6 over Buffalo State University, led by four hits and five runs batted in by
Kaitlyn Perucci.
Tufts hits the halfway point of their Florida trip at 8-0. The Jumbos have an off day tomorrow before returning to action on Thursday.
Tufts 12, Buffalo State 6
The Bengals scored six runs in the top of the first inning on four hits and two Tufts errors. Lexi Quagliana doubled home two runs and Kenzie Scott hit a two-run single to highlight the frame.
The Jumbos started to chip away at the lead with two in the bottom of the first.
Michelle Adelman singled and stole second to get it started, then scored on a single by
Josie Steinberg. A ground out by
Lauryn Horita would later bring in Steinberg.
Meanwhile, senior
Sophia DiCocco came on in relief in the second and shut down Buffalo State. She would earn her second win in relief in as many days, allowing five hits and no runs in six innings.
Tufts would score three more in the second to close within 6-5. They loaded the bases and scored on a
Bela Jimenez walk, then Perucci hit a two-run double.
The Jumbos got the lead with two runs in the fourth. After
Keila McCabe led off with an infield single, doubles by Steinberg and Perucci brought in runs to put Tufts up 7-6.
A five-run sixth inning put the game away for the Jumbos. Perucci's two-run double, an rbi fielder's choice from
Emma Wingate and back-to-back rbi doubles by first-years
Fallon O'Connor and
Heaven Oliva accounted for the runs.
The Jumbos' 14 hits and 12 runs were the most in both categories so far on their trip. In addition to Perucci going 4 for 4 with five rbis, Steinberg was 3 for 4 with three runs and two rbis, O'Connor finished 2 for 4 with two runs and an rbi, and both Adelman and McCabe were 2 for 4 with two runs.
Eight Bengals had hits, with two by Quagliana leading them. Madison Lucas took the loss in a complete game.
Tufts 3, Endicott 0
Johnson went 5.1 no-hit innings before Endicott's Paige Berdos hit a slow ground-ball single to second base to break up the no-no. However, Johnson picked up the Jumbos' first shutout of the trip and ninth of her career. She struck out nine and walked two.
Tufts grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a one-out double by O'Connor and an rbi single from junior catcher
Keriann Slayton. A two-run seventh for Tufts also featured Slayton, who doubled in pinch-runner
Emma Tonies who had come in following a double by first-year
Heaven Oliva. Steinberg later hit a sac fly scoring Slayton (2 for 3, 2 rbis, run).
Kristen Beebe kept Endicott in the game, allowing just one run until the seventh. She gave up six hits and three runs overall in six frames.
--JUMBOS--
