Wellesley Softball Hosts Eastern/Tufts in Tripleheader

WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Wellesley College softball team hosted national powers #3 Eastern Connecticut State and #11 Tufts University in a triple header on Sunday at Wellesley. Tufts topped the Blue, 7-1, in game one, while Eastern defeated Tufts, 4-0 in game two. Wellesley/Eastern

Tufts 7, Wellesley 1
In the day's first contest, Tufts and Wellesley scored matching runs in the first inning. The Jumbos got their start with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kayla Holland that scored Lena Cantone, who reached on an infield single. Wellesley's run came off of a Jayne Ellis single that scored Maria LaBouyer, who reached on a walk.

Tufts took a 3-1 lead in the top of the second as Cantone laced a double to the fence, scoring Michelle Cooprider and Sara Hedtler. Emily Beinecke then made it 4-1 with a single to center that scored Cantone. A Jo Clair single to left wrapped up the second inning scoring for the Jumbos, as Beinecke crossed the plate to make it 5-1.

A solo homerun from Cooprider put Tufts up 6-1 in the top of the third, while a lead-off double from Cantone came around to score on a Clair single that pushed it to 7-1 in the fourth. Jumbos starter Rebecca DiBiase and reliever Lauren Giglio, took care of the rest, not allowing a Wellesley hit after the fourth inning. 

Cantone and Cooprider each collected three hits for Tufts, while Cantone and Clair drove in two runs each. DiBiase got the win, throwing five innings, allowing one earned run on four hits. Giglio pitched the final two frames, not allowing a hit. 

Wellesley's offense was limited to singles from Lauren Goldfarb, Ellis, Kimberly Cabral and Abby Casey. Starter Sarah Schwartzmeyer suffered the loss, throwing the first two innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits. 

Eastern 4, Tufts 0 - box score
Game two featured a rematch of the two of the top teams in the nation. #3 Eastern and #11 Tufts met on March 19th, with the Jumbos coming out on top, 4-2. This time, Eastern got revenge, as All-American pitcher Molly Rathbun hurled a perfect game, stifling a potent Tufts offense, while also driving in three runs at the plate.

Rathbun put the Warriors ahead 1-0, with a solo homerun in the top of the first inning. Tufts would keep Eastern off the board until the fifth inning, when Godwin and Cooper reached on infield singles and Rathbun laced a double into left for a 3-0 lead.

The Warriors completed their scoring in the top of the sixth, stretching the lead to 4-0, after a Megan Godwin single scored pinch runner, Rosie Manzo. Kassondra Silva started the rally with a one-out single to right field.

Rathbun was stellar the rest of the way, closing out the perfect game. She finished with seven innings pitched, seven strikeouts, not allowing a baserunner.  At the plate, Rathbun and Godwin each had two hits, while Arielle Cooper extended her hit streak to 16 games with an infield single.

Tufts's Giglio started the game, pitching the first inning, allowing the Rathbun homerun. DiBiase pitched well in relief, throwing six innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits. 

Eastern 11, Wellesley 2 (5 innings)
In the final game of the day, Eastern's offense was too much for Wellesley to handle, as the Warriors scored early and often, taking the game 11-2 in five innings. 

Eastern put up six runs in top half of the first, backed by six total hits. Godwin and Kelly Paterson each drove in two runs for the Warriors, while Shannon Martin singled in a run and Mattie Brett added an RBI double.

Wellesley made some noise in the bottom of the first, but two excellent plays by the Eastern defense kept the Blue off the board. Goldfarb led off the inning with a single to right, before LaBouyer drove a ball to the warning track that was tracked down by Brett in center. Wellesley's Mara Blesoff then hit a liner down the left field line that third baseman, Cooper, snared with a diving grab to end the Blue threat.

The Warriors stretched the lead to 7-0 after a triple from Priscilla Alicea scored on a Wellesley miscue.

Eastern poured it on, striking for three more runs in the top of the third. A Jen Tamindzija double came around to score on a Brett single. Cooper then doubled to score Godwin, while a sac fly from Alicea accounted for the 10th Eastern run of the game.

Wellesley finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth, as Samantha Spiga sent a two-out homerun over the left field fence, scoring Cabral who reached on a single. Eastern responded with a run in the top of the fifth, as Sam Rossetti poked an RBI single to center, putting Eastern up 11-2.

Silva picked up the win for the Warriors, throwing four innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Erin Miller pitched the final inning for Eastern, allowing just one hit.

Offensively, the Warriors pounded out 14 hits, with Alicea and Brett each collecting two. Godwin, Paterson and Brett all recorded two RBI in the win. Cooper extended her hitting streak to 17 games with a double.

Wellesley recorded just five hits, led by Spiga's two-run homerun. Goldfarb suffered the loss, throwing two and two thirds of an inning, allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits.

Wellesley (14-16) is back in action on Wednesday, traveling to Endicott for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:30pm. Tufts (23-4) next plays on Wednesday, hosting Bridgewater State at 3:00pm. Eastern (24-1) returns to the field on Tuesday, hosting Coast Guard in a 4:00pm doubleheader.