TUFTS WINS SEASON OPENER OVER CARLETON

COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORE
Tufts 4    Carleton 0

at Orange, CA
Sunday, March 18, 2001

Click here for game statistics

ORANGE, Calif. -- Senior co-captain Rachel Brecher (Newington, CT) went the distance, giving up seven hits and no walks in a complete-game shutout as the Tufts Jumbos (1-0) downed the Carleton Knights (1-1) in the Jumbos' season opener, 4-0. Sophomore C Lis Drake (Chelmsford, MA) knocked in three runs on two hits, with a solo home run in the first and a two-RBI double in the third inning. Junior 1B Tiffany Trahan (Chelmsford, MA) had three hits in as many at bats for the Jumbos.

The Knights were the first to reach base, when C Laura Espinosa singled to left in the first inning, the first of her three hits on the day. The Jumbos put the first run on the board in the second inning, when Drake - who knocked out a school-record seven dingers in her All-American 2000 season - smashed one out in her first at-bat of the year to put the Jumbos up, 1-0. In the third it was Drake again, drilling Knights pitcher Andrea Carroll for a double to left field and driving in junior SS Jen Mackey (Swampscott, MA) and senior CF Randee McArdle (East Nassau, NY). Trahan had her lone RBI on the day in the fifth, scoring McArdle on a single.

The Knights rallied with two outs in the seventh inning, loading the bases with a hit batter and singles by P Andrea Carroll and RF Alyssa Honnette. The Jumbos held strong, however, forcing a ground out by 2B Ly Nguyen to end the threat.

The Knights got a solid effort from Espinosa, who had three hits in three at bats, including two doubles. The contest was Tufts' opening game in the 2001 Sun West Softball Tournament.

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