CLERMONT, FL (March 21, 2024) – The Tufts University softball team was limited to six hits in two games on Thursday as the Jumbos lost twice, their first two defeats of their week in Florida.
Tufts (8-2) was edged 2-1 by Ramapo College (8-3), then lost 8-0 in six innings against the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (14-2).
The normally excellent Tufts defense made six errors in the two games, as just two of the 10 runs allowed by Jumbo pitching were earned.
Ramapo 2, Tufts 1
The Jumbos were held to four hits by Roadrunner pitchers Marissa DiPaolo and Brooke Knight. A first-inning single by
Rachel Moore was Tufts' only hit in the first four innings.
Ramapo would take the lead 1-0 in the top of the second. Avery Kontura singled, was sacrificed to second and then Kori Gargiulo hit an rbi single.
Junior
Sky Johnson got the start for Tufts. In the top of the third Ramapo had a double by Katie Rygiel and Alexis Corra was hit by a pitch to start the frame, but Tufts' Moore turned a 5-3 double play to end the inning.
The Jumbos had their first scoring chance in the fourth as Moore and
Kaitlyn Perucci both walked with one out. A dropped ball by the center fielder allowed Moore to take third with two outs, but she was left there.
Johnson kept Ramapo at one run through five innings, and Tufts scored in the bottom of the fifth to tie it.
Fallon O'Connor singled to left, then after pinch-runner
Sarah Cullen was sacrificed over,
Michelle Adelman singled past third base for an rbi and a 1-1 game.
Tufts went to senior
Sophia DiCocco in relief for the sixth and the Roadrunners scored an unearned run to take the lead. Corra reached on an error, then Mahogany Wheeler bunted for a single to set up first and second with no outs. The runners took second and third on passed ball, then Avery Bartolomeo singled up the middle to score Corra. Adelman threw out Wheeler at the plate trying to score on the play, keeping it 2-1.
After Moore walked to lead off the Tufts sixth, Ramapo brought Knight in to pitch. She recorded three straight outs and the game went to the seventh with the Roadrunners holding the 2-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Adelman again threw a runner out at the plate trying to score – Gargiulo, who had led off with a base hit – for the third out.
Knight allowed a one-out single to Jumbo pinch-hitter
Lindsay Neumann in the bottom of the seventh, but finished off the victory for a save.
DiCocco was the losing pitcher in relief, allowing four hits and an unearned run. Johnson went five innings in her start giving up four hits and a run. Moore had a hit and two walks for Tufts.
DiPaolo (5 IP, 3 H, R) got the win for Ramapo, with Knight throwing two scoreless innings (one hit). Rygiel and Gargiulo both had two hits.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point 8, Tufts 0 (6 inn.)
The Pointers took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on five hits and two Tufts errors. Jesse Klicker led off with a triple to set the tone, then scored on the first Tufts miscue. Rachel Baker would drive home the second run with a base hit, then pinch-hitter Abby Van Beek doubled to center clearing the bases for a 5-0 margin. The Pointers sent nine batters to the plate and only one of the runs was earned.
Tufts'
Heaven Oliva hit a two-out double to left-center in the top of the second, but was stranded. It would be one of just two Tufts hits in the game.
DiCocco settled in and would prevent UW-Stevens Point from adding to the lead through the fifth. In the bottom of the fourth inning, senior SS
Josie Steinberg had doubled to right with one out and
Lauryn Horita walked. However, again the Jumbos weren't able to do anything more with it against Pointer starter Morgan Harwood (5 IP, 2 H, 0R).
The game remained 5-0 into the top of the sixth when Stevens Point went to the bullpen and brought in Ashley Zygowski. She walked Steinberg with two outs, but pitched a scoreless inning.
UW-Stevens Point would end the game early with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Emma Stolzman was hit by pitch, then Tufts made an error on a bunt, followed by a sacrifice which put runners on second and third. Klicker reached on another error, with Stolzman scoring for a 6-0 lead. Kaitlyn Roberts had an infield single scoring a run, then the Pointers won it with an error on a steal of third attempt allowing Klicker to score the eighth run.
Only one of the eight runs DiCocco allowed was earned, as she went 5.1 innings allowing eight hits.
Klicker scored twice for the Pointers, Roberts was 2 for 4 with two rbis and a run and Sara Traxel finished 2 for 3 with a run.
Next
The Jumbos are scheduled to play Plattsburgh State and Western New England University on Friday, but rain is expected in the area. Stay tuned to the Tufts Athletics Twitter account for updates on Friday's games.
--JUMBOS--
