CAMBRIDGE, MA (April 11, 2023) - In a double–header between the top two teams in New England according to the NFCA national poll, #8 Tufts and #25 MIT split in Tuesday softball action at Briggs Field. The Jumbos won the opener 5-1 and MIT took game two 5-4 in eight innings.
The Jumbos (22-2) ended MIT's 15-game winning streak in game one, but then saw their own 11-game streak ended by the Engineers (19-2) in the nightcap.
A four-run fourth inning which included a two-run double by
Bela Jimenez made the difference in the first game. In game two, MIT led 4-1 before Tufts scored three in the top of the sixth featuring a two-run double by pinch-hitter
Lauryn Horita. However, with the tie-breaker rule in place in the eighth Engineer Mackenzie Bivin singled through the right side for the walk-off victory.
Tufts junior
Sophia DiCocco and MIT first-year Caroline Langmeyer both pitched the first thee innings scoreless in the opener. Both left two runners on base in the second inning.
The Jumbos broke out with five hits and four runs in the fourth.
Josie Steinberg singled to left on the first pitch of the frame and was bunted to second by
Rachel Moore.
Haley Leimbach then singled home the game's first run. After a ground-out rbi from
Kat Yuzefpolsky, Jimenez's double to center made it a 4-0 lead.
MIT got one back in the bottom the fourth. With one out Bivin had an infield single, stole second, and then scored on a base hit by Katia Pendowski. However, Tufts scored in its next at bat on a
Nicole Russo hit for the final 5-1 margin.
DiCocco went five innings allowing six hits and the one run for her ninth win. First-year
Emilie Doty pitched the last two frames. The Engineers loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Doty got a pop-up to end the threat.
Russo had three hits in the first game for Tufts, who finished with 12. Jimenez, Steinberg and Leimbach had two each. Bivin had three of MIT's nine hits in the game and Pendowski had two. Langmeyer allowed the 12 hits and five runs (four earned) in seven innings for the loss.
The second game was 1-1 after two with an rbi from Bivin for MIT in the first and a double-steal by Jumbos Russo and
Rachel Moore in the second. The Engineers then went up 2-1 in the fourth when Jordan Sell singled, took third on a bunt and scored on a ground ball by Pendowski.
MIT would add to its lead with two runs after two were out in the bottom of the fifth. They had four hits in the inning including rbi singles by Sell and Mikayla Cable to take a 4-1 advantage.
Steinberg singled and
Rachel Moore reached by fielder's choice to start Tufts' comeback in the sixth. A base hit by
Haley Leimbach scored Steinberg, then Horita came on as a pinch-hitter with two outs and delivered a double to left-center tying the game.
Doty relieved Tufts starter
Sky Johnson in the sixth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the Tufts seventh, Yuzefpolsky led off with a single and was bunted over by Jimenez. However, when she attempted to score on
Michelle Adelman's single up the middle she was thrown out at home by Sell in center with the catcher Olivia Scarpaci making a nice play to grab a high throw and get the tag down.
After Tufts could not capitalize in the top of the eighth. MIT's runner Adkison took third on a wild pitch and scored on Bivin's two-out, game-winning hit as darkness descended upon the field.
Langmeyer pitched the final two innings for the Engineers and earned the win in relief of starter Becca O'Connor (6 IP, 7 H, 4 R). Adkison was 2 for 4 with three runs at the top of the MIT order, while Bivin was 2 for 3 with two rbis and Sell had two hits.
Doty took the loss in relief of Johnson (5 IP, 7 H, 4 R) for Tufts. Russo and Yuzefpolsky both had two hits and Moore scored twice.
The Jumbos return to conference play this weekend with double-headers at Williams College on Saturday and at MIddlebury College on Sunday.
--JUMBOS--
