Box Score
BABSON PARK - Babson College first-year Emily Morris (Wolcott, CT) blasted a game-winning double to left-center in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap off a 4-3 comeback victory over seventh-ranked Tufts University in game two of a non-conference softball double-header at Babson's Alumni Field on Tuesday. Tufts (17-2) took game one, 15-5, in five innings before the Beavers (10-7) salvaged the split with the thrilling nightcap win.
After suffering the lopsided loss in the opener, Babson trailed early again in game two as Tufts jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Sophomore Michelle Cooprider (Hopkinton, MA) tripled in a run and later scored on a double by junior Jo Clair (Glastonbury, CT). The Beavers then got one back in the latter half of the inning, as junior Kelly King (Kennebunk, ME) drew the last of four walks in the frame to force in classmate Christa Shorette (Southington, CT) to make it 3-1.
Things stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth, when Tufts starter Aly Moskowitz (Westfield, NJ) ran into trouble after an error and a single by senior captain Catie Funk (Scarborough, ME) put two on with no outs. After a walk to first-year Caitie Benoit (Williamstown, MA) loaded the bases, Morris lifted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Shorette with Babson's second run. Moments later, a wild pitch enabled Funk to scamper home from third, tying the game at 3-3.
After getting roughed up in the first, Beavers junior Tess Rubega (Norwich, CT) settled down nicely in the middle innings, as she retired 15 of the next 16 batters after giving up a leadoff walk to start the second. Tufts then threatened to regain the lead in the top of the seventh, but the junior righthander induced back-to-back fly outs to centerfielder Maya Lacy (East Mill Creek, UT) to escape a first-and-third, one-out jam.
With sophomore Allyson Fournier (South Windsor, CT) on in relief of Moskowitz, Benoit started the Beavers off by ripping a double down the rightfield line with one out in the bottom of the seventh. After sophomore Meghan Hayes (Robbinsville, NJ) pinch-ran at second, Morris blasted a letter-high 0-1 pitch into the gap in deep left-center. Junior leftfielder Sara Hedtler (Wrentham, MA) made a valiant attempt at a lunging catch, but the ball ticked of her glove as Hayes sprinted home with the game-winning run.
Rubega (2-0) was marvelous in the circle for the Beavers, as she held the powerful Tufts offense to just two earned runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out a pair - an especially impressive feat after the Jumbos erupted for 15 runs on 17 hits in their game-one victory. Offensively, Morris drove in two of the team's four runs, while Lacy added a 3 for 3 performance with a double.
In the opener, the Jumbos took control early on, scoring three runs in the first, one in the second, and three more in the third, with Clair recording rbi singles in each of the three-run outbursts.
The Beavers fought their way back into the contest with a four-run fourth inning, as Benoit, junior Sam Pilkington (Westborough, MA), and Shorette each ripped rbi doubles and junior Lindsey Schmid (New Canaan, CT) added a run-scoring single to make it 7-4. However, Tufts put the game away with eight runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double by Clair and an opposite-field grand slam by first-year Christina Raso (Burlington, MA).
Shorette finished 2 for 2 with a run and two rbis in game one for Babson, while Raso went 4 for 4 with four runs and five driven in for Tufts. Jumbo senior Rebecca DiBiase (Wellesley, MA) started and earned the win, allowing four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out two in four innings of work.
The game two loss endeda 17-game winning streak for Tufts.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
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Game recap courtesy of Babson College
