MEDFORD, MA (April 22, 2025) –
Heaven Oliva laced a two-run double off the fence in center field in the bottom of the fifth inning to highlight a 3-2 comeback victory for the Tufts University softball team over Babson College this afternoon at Spicer Field.
The Jumbos trailed 2-0 with two outs in their fifth when
Kaitlyn Perucci singled through the left side and stole second. After
Haley Leimbach walked, Oliva drilled her shot off the fence in center scoring both to tie the game at 2-2. Pinch-runner
Sarah Cullen then scored the eventual game-winning run on a single to center by
Keriann Slayton making it 3-2 Jumbos.
Visiting Babson had started quickly. Speedy lead-off hitter Sara Moore had an infield single and then stole second in the top of the first. After she was sacrificed to third, Moore scored the game's first run on a single to right field by Belle DiCampello. Tufts senior
Bela Jimenez was able to turn a 4-3 double play to limit any further Babson offense.
The Beavers would score again in the second. Emily Walsh beat out a slow roller in the infield and took second on a ground ball. She went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Tufts error during the play making it 2-0.
Tufts, meanwhile, stranded runners on second and third in both the first and third innings.
Jumbo starter
Sophia DiCocco would shut down Babson moving forward. She stranded Moore who had led off the third with a double, retiring nine of the next 10 Beaver batters through the fifth.
Tufts then had its big inning scoring three times to go ahead 3-2. DiCocco continued her strong finishing effort by retiring six straight to end the game. Overall, she set down 15 of the final 16 batters. She earned her 10th win of the season allowing six hits and one earned run in the seven innings.
Babson starter Moira O'Reilly had been strong until running into trouble in the fifth. She took the loss, giving up six hits and three runs in 4.2 innings. Reliever Cameron Whiteford threw 1.1 innings of no-run relief for the Beavers.
Tufts'
Kaitlyn Perucci had three of her team's seven hits. Babson's Moore and Walsh both had two hits in the game.
The Jumbos will play another single non-conference game tomorrow at Endicott College with a 4 PM first-pitch.
--JUMBOS--
