MEDFORD, MA (April 29, 2025) – The Tufts University softball team won 3-2 despite being no-hit in Game 2 of today's double-header against Brandeis University to earn a remarkable sweep of the Judges in non-league games today at Spicer Field.
In Game 1, Tufts scored six times in the fifth inning to overcome a 2-0 deficit and then held on for a 6-5 victory.
The wins improve the Jumbos to 23-13 overall. Tufts is 19-3 since March 28. The two losses dropped Brandeis to 8-27-1 overall.
Game 1 – Tufts 6, Brandeis 5
Tufts'
Sophia DiCocco and Brandeis' Ragini Kannan pitched four scoreless innings each to start the game.
The Judges broke through to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth. A double by Tristan Boyer scored Bells Burdenski, who had reached by fielder's choice. After the Jumbos cut a run down at the plate, Hannah Fletcher – who had singled – scored on a Tufts error during Mary Doud's attempted steal of second.
However, the Jumbos would respond immediately by scoring six times on seven hits in their fifth.
Lauryn Horita started it with a triple to right field and
Lindsay Neumann drove in the run with a single to right. After a
Bela Jimenez single advanced Neumann to second,
Kaitlyn Perucci tied the game at 2-2 with an rbi single.
Haley Leimbach doubled home Jimenez for the go-ahead run, then a two-run double to left-center by
Keriann Slayton made it 5-2. Slayton scored on a single to left by
Madi Sewell.
Brandeis did not back off. In the sixth, singles by Brooke Boehmer, Haley Nash and Jordan Wallace loaded the bases. Burdenski then doubled down the left-field line clearing the bases and pulling the Judges within 6-5. Tufts reliever
Fallon O'Connor struck out the next two hitters to preserve the lead.
After a scoreless sixth for Tufts, O'Connor put the Judges down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to close down the victory for Tufts.
DiCocco was credited with the win after her 5.1 innings allowing six hits and three earned runs. O'Connor, who entered with the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, picked up her sixth save giving up two hits and a run in 1.2 innings. Slayton went 2 for 3 with a run and two rbis, while Perucci and Leimbach both had two hits, an rbi and a run.
Kannan took the pitching loss for Brandeis (4.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R). Boehmer and Wallace had two hits apiece.
Game 2 – Tufts 3, Brandeis 2
In a stunning outcome, the Jumbos were no-hit by Brandeis first-year pitcher Claire Warden and still won the game.
The Judges had taken a 2-0 lead again, with runs in the fourth and the sixth against Jumbo starter
Lacy Chilek. Boehmer singled and scored from first on a double to center by Nash in the fourth. Then in the sixth, Nash singled through the left side and scored on Wallace's double to left-center.
Despite two walks and two hit-batters, Warden had a no-hit shutout going through five innings. In the sixth, three errors and two passed balls would do the Judges in.
Heaven Oliva and Slayton both reached by error to start the frame. A passed ball sent pinch-runners
Emma Wingate and
Lauryn Horita to second and third, then Sewell walked to load the bases. A ground ball rbi to shortstop by Neumann cut the Brandeis lead to 2-1. On the next batter, a passed ball and Brandeis error trying to catch the runner at the plate allowed both Wingate and Sewell to score giving Tufts a 3-2 lead.
Brandeis would put the tying run into scoring position in the top of the seventh as Katie Baydian walked and stole second. O'Connor, who had come on in relief, got the final out by strikeout and Tufts had its improbable victory.
O'Connor added a Game 2 win to her Game 1 save, giving up no hits and no runs in 1.2 innings of the nightcap. Chilek had a solid start for the Jumbos (5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R).
Warden, who earned the game with a 6.88 earned run average, worked through three walks and two-hit batters to record her no-hitter. Baydian and Nash both had two of Brandeis' seven hits. The Judges made six errors in the second game.
Next
Tufts concludes NESCAC and regular-season play with a double-header at Bates College on Saturday. The Jumbos need one victory to lock up the #1 seed in the conference and the right to host the NESCAC Tournament.
--JUMBOS--
