SALISBURY, MD (May 23, 2024) – Senior
Sophia DiCocco fired a four-hit shutout and Tufts scored three times in the top of the seventh as the Jumbos took Game 1 of the NCAA Division III Softball Super Regional at Salisbury University this afternoon 3-0.
The Jumbos (37-8) gain the advantage in the best-of-three series against the Sea Gulls (39-6). The teams will play Game 2 tomorrow at 1:00 PM with an if-necessary Game 3 to follow. The winner of the series will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals May 30 through June 5 at Bell Park at Taylor Field in Marshall, Texas.
With the victory, Tufts ends Salisbury's NCAA Tournament home winning streak at 23 games. The Sea Gulls had not lost a national tournament home game since 2011.
The Jumbos had left eight runners on base and ran into three outs on the base paths through the first six innings. However, they would come through in the clutch in the top of the seventh. A Salisbury error extended the inning and then
Kaitlyn Perucci singled up the middle.
Michelle Adelman followed with a triple practically on the line in right scoring Perucci and
Bela Jimenez giving Tufts a 2-0 lead.
Keila McCabe then singled up the middle making it 3-0 Jumbos.
Meanwhile, DiCocco got out of situations with Salisbury runners in scoring position twice. She retired the first six batters, but the Sea Gulls had their first threat in the bottom of the third. A single by Sam Flowers and a double from Abby Mace set up second and third for the hosts, but DiCocco got a called third strike for the final out to keep the game scoreless.
Then in the bottom of the fifth, Emily Stockman singled to center with one out. Pinch-runner Camille Jones went to second on a ground ball, but Tufts' Haley Leimach snared a line drive at first to end the inning.
The Jumbos had success getting on base against Salisbury starter Lindsey Windsor, the NFCA National Player of the Year last season, but could not get a run home. The Sea Gulls went to senior reliever Nicole Ortega in the seventh when the Jumbos' three runs were scored unearned.
Tufts had started the game by getting its first two runners on, as
Josie Steinberg singled and
Lauryn Horita was hit by a pitch in the top of the first. The Jumbos would end up loading the bases, but couldn't score. The Jumbos threatened again late in the second inning. Leimbach was awarded ball four due to a pitch-clock violation on Windsor. Steinberg followed with another single. Horita then singled to center, but pinch-runner
Sarah Cullen was thrown out at home trying to score for the third out.
Tufts would make outs on the base paths in the fifth and sixth innings as well, but was able to stay the course and win it in the seventh.
DiCocco improved to 17-4 with the victory, lowering her earned run average to a 0.92 mark. She did not walk a batter during her ninth shutout of the season. Adelman finished 2 for 3 with the two rbis and a run to lead Tufts, while Perucci and Steinberg were both 2 for 4.
Windsor allowed six hits and no runs in her six innings, with Ortega taking the loss in relief.
Watch the Tufts Post-Game Press Conference ...
--JUMBOS--
