Softball Continues NESCAC East Division Roll with 9-1 Victory at Bates

Cassie Ruscz finished with two rbis for the Jumbos

Recap courtesy of Bates College

LEWISTON, ME – Junior pitcher Allyson Fournier struck out 11 batters and allowed two hits in a complete-game effort as No. 4 Tufts University softball beat Bates College, 9-1, at Lafayette Street Field on Friday afternoon.

Fournier and the Jumbos (24-3, 6-0 NESCAC East) maintained a perfect game until the fifth inning and brought a no-hitter into the sixth until the Bobcats (5-13, 1-5 NESCAC East) strung two hits together in the bottom of the inning to score a run.

For the Jumbos, senior Sara JumHedtler went 3 for 5 with three runs scored while first-year Cassie Ruscz and junior Gracie Marshall each recorded two hits and two rbis.

Bates broke up the no-hitter in the last half of the sixth as first-year Abigail Abbott knocked a single into center field. Sophomore Karen Lockhart then followed with a double over the left fielder's head that reached the fence and allowed Abbott to score all the way from first on a close play at the plate.

Junior Kelsey Freedman struck out three and gave up five earned runs on 10 hits over seven innings in the loss (3-9). Fournier improved to 12-0 on the season with the win.

Tufts opened the game's scoring in the top of the first as Ruscz singled through the right side to score Hedtler. Senior Jo Clair later came home on a passed ball to give the Jumbos a 2-0 lead.

The visitors pushed their lead to 3-0 in the third after Marshall hit a single through the left side of the infield. Tufts went up 5-0 in the fifth with one run scoring off a passed ball and the second coming off a first-and-third situation where an extended run down with the runner on first allowed the runner on third to scoot home.

After Marshall singled in another run in the top of the sixth, the Bobcats struck in the bottom of the frame on Lockhart's double to trim their deficit to 6-1. The Jumbos tacked on a trio of runs in the top of the seventh including an rbi single from Ruscz to gain their 9-1 advantage.

Next, Bates and Tufts continue their series with a double-header tomorrow beginning at noon.

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