SALISBURY, MD (May 24, 2024) – For the eighth time in team history, the Tufts University softball team will play at the NCAA Division III College World Series after the Jumbos advanced out of the Super Regional round with a 4-1 victory over Salisbury University today.
Tufts (38-8) entered the day up one game in the NCAA Super Regional series against the Sea Gulls (39-7) after winning Game 1 on Thursday 3-0. In Game 2 today, the Jumbos came from down 1-0 by scoring four times in the bottom of the fourth inning after two were out (Tufts was playing as the home team). The runs came home on a pair of two-run doubles by
Lauryn Horita and
Kaitlyn Perucci. Junior pitcher
Sky Johnson settled in after allowing a run in the top of the first and the Jumbos finished off a two-game sweep in the Best-of-3 series.
The Jumbos will travel to Marshall, Texas for the College World Series starting on May 30. The schedule for the week has not been announced with other Super Regional series still playing. The 2024 squad joins 2000, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2021 as Jumbo teams to advance to the NCAA final round.
Today Salisbury grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Abby Mace singled through the right side to lead off and went to third on a double down the left-field line by Lindsey Windsor. Mace scored on a sac fly by Carrie Jacoby, a deep ball on which Tufts left fielder
Keila McCabe made a nice over-the-shoulder catch.
Like yesterday, the Jumbos were leaving runners on base early. They got runners to second and third in the bottom of the first with a
Josie Steinberg single, a walk to Horita and a bunt by
Bela Jimenez. However, Salisbury starter Nicole Ortega struck out the next two batters to end the inning. The Jumbos put two on again in the second on singles by McCabe and
Haley Leimbach, but did not score.
Johnson worked out of a jam in the top of the third after Sea Gulls Meghan Reed and Mace opened with singles. Following a pair of outs, including a line drive to the outfield that sent the runners to second and third, and then a walk that loaded the bases, Johnson got a pop-up to end the inning.
Tufts' Jimenez singled with one out in the bottom of the third and moved to second base when
Michelle Adelman was hit by a pitch. McCabe lined one that looked headed into right field, but Reed dove to her left to make the catch and likely prevent a run from scoring.
Adelman made a diving catch in center field during a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning for Tufts, then the Jumbos rallied in the bottom-half. After the first two hitters were retired, Leimbach (2 for 3) singled to keep the inning alive.
Josie Steinberg did the same, then Horita doubled to deep left giving Tufts a 2-1 lead. After Jimenez reached on an error, Perucci shot a double to the right-center gap scoring Horita and Jimenez and it was 4-1 Tufts.
Johnson did not allow a hit in the fifth and sixth innings, and Salisbury reliever Sydney Adolfson also quieted the Jumbos. However, in the top of the seventh Salisbury would bring the tying run to the plate after two were out. Reed and Mace both singled, at which point the Jumbos went to the bullpen for
Sophia DiCocco. She was able to retire Emily Challender on a high-bouncing ball to Jimenez at second, and the Jumbos celebrated.
Steinberg and McCabe joined Leimbach in getting two hits for Tufts. Johnson earned her 15th win (6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R) while DiCocco picked up her fifth save.
Mace had a game-high three hits for Salisbury, while Reed went 2 for 3. Ortega took the loss allowing eight hits and four runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings.
Horita was named Most Outstanding Player and DiCocco was the Most Outstanding Pitcher of the Super Regional for the Jumbos.
Watch the Tufts University Press Conference ...
--JUMBOS--
