Wednesday, May 18, 2005

FIVE FROM SOFTBALL EARN NFCA ALL-REGION HONORS

MEDFORD – In a mirror of the All-NESCAC honors they received last week, five members of the Tufts University Softball team were recently recognized on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-New England Region Team.

Senior SS Courtney Bongiolatti (Locust, NJ/Middletown), freshman 2B Danielle Lopez (Danvers, MA/Danvers) and freshman catcher Megan Cusick (Albany, NY/Albany) were honored on the First Team. Freshman P/DP Erica Bailey (Scottsdale, AZ/Chapparal) and senior 1B Katie Smith (Convent Station, NJ/Morristown) were placed on the Second Team.

Bongiolatti had one of the most prolific seasons in New England Softball history. She hit .374 with 14 home runs and 45 runs batted in, leading New England in both categories. Lopez and Cusick are the only freshmen teammates on the All-New England First Team. Lopez hit .379 with eight home runs and 27 runs batted in while leading the Jumbos with seven steals. Cusick finished at .302 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in while making no errors behind the plate.

Bailey, part of a fabulous Tufts freshman class along with Lopez and Cusick, has a team leader in pitching and hitting. She went 7-3 with a 1.58 earned run average in the pitcher's circle and hit .337 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs. Smith, the NESCAC and ECAC New England Player of the Year last season, was one of six Tufts regulars to hit over .300 this spring, checking in at .339 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.

Tufts (27-8) scored 199 runs in 35 games this season while batting .302 with a school-record 42 home runs. They compiled a .245 earned run average with 133 strikeouts and a .247 batting average against in 226 innings.

For Bongiolatti and Smith, this marked the third straight year that they have received NFCA All-New England honors.

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