Box Score
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Jo Clair hit her 12th home at Bates on Saturday
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Recap courtesy of Bates College
LEWISTON, ME - The #4 nationally-ranked Tufts University softball totaled 23 runs and 31 hits as the Jumbos swept a double-header with Bates College, 10-1 and 13-0, at Lafayette Street Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Jumbos (26-3, 8-0 NESCAC East) won the NESCAC East Division series 3-0 after defeating the Bobcats (5-15, 1-7 NESCAC East), 9-1, on Friday afternoon. Both games on Saturday lasted five innings.
Tufts senior Jo Clair, junior Gracie Marshall and first-year Cassie Ruscz each hit home runs in game two while Bates sophomore Karen Lockhart launched a solo shot in game one.
In game one, Tufts senior pitcher Lauren Giglio struck out 11 batters in a complete game, and six different Jumbo batters recorded rbis as Tufts beat Bates 10-1. Giglio improved to 11-1 on the year, allowing one earned run on three hits.
Lockhart provided the offense for the Bobcats, leading off the bottom of the first with a home run to straight-away center field.
Ruscz recorded two hits and four rbis, Clair went 3 for 3 with an rbi, junior Michelle Cooprider notched two rbis and two runs and senior Sara Hedtler had two hits and two runs.
Tufts struck for three runs in the top of the first as Ruscz doubled down the left field line to score a run, first-year Summer Horowitz singled in another tally and senior Chrissie Massrey plated a run with a ground out.
After Lockhart's blast, Ruscz drove in another run in the top of the second to push Tufts' lead to 4-1.
The Jumbos opened up the game in the top of the third, scoring five runs to take a 9-1 advantage. During the inning, sophomore Christina Raso brought in a run with a walk, Cooprider notched a two-rbi single, Clair singled in a run and Ruscz drove in Cooprider with a sacrifice fly. Ruscz charted her fourth rbi on a fielder's choice in the fifth.
Giglio did not allow a Bates runner to reach second base after the first inning. Junior Brenna Callahan took the loss (2-5) for the Bobcats, striking out three over five innings.
Tufts scored five times in the first and recorded three-run innings in the second and third on its way to a 13-0 win over Bates in game two. Marshall tallied five rbis including a three-run homer, Clair went 3 for 3 with a two-run blast and Ruscz had a solo shot. First-year Carrie Copacino enjoyed a 3 for 4 effort at the plate.
Sophomore pitcher Erica County pitched three scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts to pick up the win (3-2). Junior Allyson Fournier struck out three batters over two innings in the start while Callahan threw a complete game in the loss (2-6).
In the top of the first, Ruscz walked with the bases loaded to plate the Jumbos' first run. Marshall then singled down the left field line to drive in a pair before Raso brought in two runs on a single up the middle to stake Tufts to a 5-0 lead.
The Jumbos tacked on another three runs in the second as Clair sent a ball well past the fence in straight-away center field for a two-run home run, and Ruscz followed with a solo shot to left-center in the team's next at bat.
The visitors pushed their edge to 11-0 in the top of the third as Marshall launched a three-run home run to left field.
Sophomore Melissa Paione gave life to the Bobcats with a double to right-center in the bottom of the third. Paione nearly reached third two batters later, but was thrown out on the play.
Tufts closed out its scoring in the top of the fourth as Massrey stroked an rbi single to center field, and first-year Marly Becker brought home a run with a sacrifice fly.
Next, Bates hosts Maine Maritime for a double-header on Monday beginning at 3:30 pm, while Tufts hosts Endicott in a double-header on Tuesday beginning at 3 pm.
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