Date: Thursday, May 3, 2001

TUFTS HOSTS NESCAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND

Amherst College, Bowdoin College and Williams College join Tufts University to compete for the 2001 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Softball championship this weekend at Spicer Field in Medford. It looks to be a great weekend of softball, with the champion crowned on Sunday. That team will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Host Tufts (23-9-1 overall) won the NESCAC East Division with a 7-1 record this season, thus earning the right to host this weekend's event. The site will alternate between the top seeds in the East and West Divisions each year. Bowdoin (17-5) also finished 7-1 in the East, and the teams split a double-header on April 28. Each team's results against Amherst ended up as the first place tie-breaker, and Tufts was 2-0 versus the Jeffs while Bowdoin was 0-1. Williams (23-8) was a perfect 8-0 to win the West, while Amherst (19-11) followed at 6-2.

Much is on the line this weekend for these teams. Tufts is looking to secure its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Jumbos played in the NCAA Division III Softball "World Series" in Salem, Virginia last season. After missing out last spring, Amherst would like to add to its two previous NCAA berths in 1998 and 1999. Williams and Bowdoin both seek their first entrance into the NCAAs.

Amherst is the only team entering the tournament not on a hot streak. The Jeffs lost their last three games of the regular season. Tufts has wins in 15 of its last 17, Bowdoin has won 14 of its last 15, and Williams has won 13 in a row. In terms of head-to-head competition: Tufts is 3-2 (wins over Amherst twice and Bowdoin, losses to Williams and Bowdoin); Williams is 3-0 (wins over Amherst twice and Tufts), Amherst is 1-4 (win over Bowdoin, losses to Tufts twice and Williams twice); and Bowdoin is 1-2 (win over Tufts, losses to Tufts and Amherst).

This weekend's games will also feature a few of the top players regionally and nationally. Tufts sophomore C Lis Drake was a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American last season. Amherst junior P Lauren Peloquin, the NESCAC Player of the Year in 2000, and Tufts senior CF Randee McArdle were New England First Team All-Stars a year ago. Statistically, the league's top five pitchers are here, along with six of the top ten hitters according to this week's league press release.

The Jeffs are led by Peloquin, who earlier this season pitched the third no-hitter of her career against Brandeis. She's the top-ranked pitcher in the NESCAC with a 0.36 earned run average. She has 161 strike outs in 117.1 innings pitcher. The Jeff offense, hitting .282 overall, is led by senior co-captain Meg Nelson. She was fifth in the the NESCAC with a .389 mark entering the week, and has blasted 14 doubles and two home runs. Amherst has a good .955 team fielding percentage.

Bowdoin is making the first post-season appearance in the team's 19-year history. The Polar Bears are led by a trio of pitchers with earned run averages below two. Freshman Erin Hanley was right behind Peloquin in the NESCAC earned run average race with her 0.67 mark. Junior Gina Laugelli is next in line with a 1.00 era. Hillary Smith, another first-year player, leads the Bowdoin bats with a .394 average and seven doubles. The ‘Bears are hitting .281 and have a .951 fielding percentage.

Based on its NCAA Tournament run, Tufts is the team to beat this weekend. The Jumbos have earned at least a share of the last four NESCAC Player of the Week awards. Junior P Jodie Moreau has allowed just three earned runs in her last 64.2 innings pitched. Tufts has a tournament-best .325 batting average, with junior 1B Tiffany Trahan tops among regulars with a .388 average. The Jumbos have hit 22 home runs, including a nationally-ranked eight by Drake.

Williams has been very successful utilizing its team speed. The Ephs enter the tournament with 73 stolen bases, more than twice that of any other team. Junior Gisele Pinck leads the pack with 14 SBs in 17 tries. Junior Jess Hartley is the top-ranked NESCAC hitter in the tournament with a .403 batting average. Sophomore Katherine Baldwin is the pitching staff ace, toting a 1.37 era into the tournament. The Ephs were hitting .308 and fielding .930 in their most recent available statistics.

The three teams that don't earn the automatic NCAA Tournament berth at stake this weekend could either receive an NCAA at-large or an ECAC North Tournament invitation.

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GAME SCHEDULE

Friday, May 4
Game 1, 2:30 pm: Tufts vs. Amherst
Game 2, 5 pm: Williams vs. Bowdoin

Saturday, May 5
Game 3, 10 am: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (loser of this game eliminated)
Game 4, 12:30 pm: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 5, 3 pm: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (loser of this game eliminated)

Sunday, May 6
Game 6, 10 am: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7, if necessary, to be played 20 minutes after Game 6