Box Score SALEM, VA - Senior pitcher Allyson Fournier fired a three-hit shutout and the heart of the batting order - Christina Raso, Michelle Cooprider and Cassie Ruscz - produced three runs after two were out in the third inning as the Tufts Softball team won the critical game eight of the NCAA Finals tonight over Salisbury, 3-0.
By winning this winner's bracket game, the Jumbos get a day off tomorrow and won't play again until Sunday. Tufts (48-0) will face either DePauw or Linfield next on Sunday at 2:30. The Jumbos will need just one win against either team to advance to the championship series on Monday. Both opponents would need to defeat Tufts twice.
Salisbury (37-7) falls into the loser's bracket and will play an elimination game on Saturday versus Kean at 4 pm.
> Watch Full Game Replay > NCAA Finals Day 2 Video Recap
> Tufts Post-Game Press Conference
> Salisbury Post-Game Press Conference
> 2015 NCAA Div. 3 Softball Championship Finals Bracket
Tonight's game was a rematch of last spring's NCAA championship series between Tufts and Salisbury, won by the Jumbos two games to one. That gave head coach Cheryl Milligan's team its second consecutive NCAA title. The Jumbos are attempting to become the first team in NCAA Division 3 softball history to win three in a row.
Like last year, tonight's pitchting match-up had Tufts senior Allyson Fournier against Salisbury senior Rachel Johnson. Both were named as National Fastpitch Coaches Association first team All-Americans on Wednesday night.
Salisbury appeared to have an early advantage. The Sea Gulls loaded the bases after two were out in the second. Junior 2B Molly Simpson singled, first-year LF LeAnne Collins walked and senior RF Angela Malgieri singled. However, Fournier struck out first-year pinch-hitter Annie Pietanza to keep the game scoreless.
The Sea Gulls threatened again in the third when junior 3B Katie Sebbane singled up the middle and junior 1B Paige Knussman walked. But a line drive by junior DP Annah Brittingham was snagged by Tufts first-year 2B Samantha Siciliano and she doubled the runner off first.
Johnson had surrendered a pair of hits to Raso and Ruscz in the first, and a walk to first-year catcher Raven Fournier in the second. She had two outs in the third when Raso singled through the left side for her second hit of the game. Cooprider, on fire in the NCAA's, delievered a double down the left field line with Raso scoring on a close play. Ruscz followed with a laser over the fence in center to give the Jumbos a 3-0 advantage.
Fournier took it from there. Including the line-drive double play, she recorded 14 outs in a row to end the game. She improved to 32-0 on the season and struck out eight with two walks.
Johnson also finished strong, retiring the final nine batters she faced. She took the loss, giving up six hits and the three runs with six strikeouts and a walk.
Raso and Cooprider each had a pair of hits for the Jumbos. Senior LF Gracie Marshall also had a lead-off single in the fourth for Tufts.
The victory was the 50th in a row for Tufts, extending their NCAA Division 3 softball record. The streak started with the two wins over Salisbury to win the NCAA title last season.
On the other side of the NCAA Finals bracket, the University of Texas - Tyler is in the same position as Tufts with a 2-0 record in the tournament thus far. The Patriots will face either Salisbury or Kean on Sunday.
The best two out of three championship series is scheduled for Monday with games at 1 and 3:30 pm. An if necessary and decisive game three would be played on Tuesday at 11 am.
Game Photos by Matt Healey / Tufts
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