Tuesday, May 13, 2003

SOFTBALL FOUR REEL IN REGIONAL ALL-STAR HONORS

MEDFORD – After hitting 25 home runs with 127 runs batted in during 468 at-bats combined, the big bats of the 2003 Tufts University Softball line-up are now accumulated a big share of post-season honors. Three Louisville Slugger National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region teams and three New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Associations (NEISCA) teams were recently named. Tufts senior C Lis Drake (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford, MA), junior 3B Julie Fox (Willow Springs, IL/Lyons Township), sophomore SS Courtney Bongiolatti (Locust, NJ/Middletown) and sophomore 1B Katie Smith (Convent Station, NJ/Morristown) were named to both of them.

Drake and Fox were two of 16 players named to NFCA New England Region First Team and were two of 12 on the NEISCA First Team. They are both eligible for NFCA All-American status, which will be announced this coming weekend at the NCAA Division III Softball Championship in Salem, Virginia. Bongiolatti was picked for the NFCA Second Team and the NEISCA Honorable Mention. Smith was NFCA Third Team and NEISCA Honorable Mention. Drake, named NESCAC Player of the Year on Friday, was also named to the 2003 NCAA Division III New England Regional All-Tournament team after the Jumbos competed in that tournament at Wheaton College last weekend.

Bongiolatti, Drake, Fox and Smith composed a heart of the Tufts order that was the fiercest in Tufts history, in the NESCAC and arguably in the region. Drake hit .387 with nine doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBIs. Fox finished at .382 with six home runs and 32 RBIs. Bongiolatti led the Jumbos at .402 while hitting seven doubles and seven home runs with 33 RBIs. Smith, in her first year as a full-time player, hit .328 with eight doubles, four home runs and 33 RBIs. The 2003 Jumbos hit 27 home runs overall, five more than any other Tufts team.

All four players were also important members of an excellent Tufts defense. The Jumbos finished second in the NESCAC behind Colby in fielding with a  .961 percentage. Drake is a rifle-armed catcher who picked five runners off base this season. Fox played third base for the first time in her career and made just four errors in 143 chances. Smith made just two errors at first base, while Bongiolatti made great strides in her first season starting at shortstop.

Tufts finished its season 26-13. They won their third straight NESCAC Championship and played in their seventh straight NCAA Tournament. They were the #1 seed at the NCAA Regionals, but lost two out of three games.

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