Teams: Softball: Schedule & Results

COLLEGE SOFTBALL FINAL SCORES
Tufts 4, Endicott 1
Tufts 8, Endicott 5

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Laura Chapman had four hits in the two games on Seniors' Day

MEDFORD -- The Tufts University softball team moved closer to a perfect regular season with a double-header sweep against Endicott College on Saturday afternoon at Spicer Field. Two of eight Jumbos honored on Seniors' Day, pitcher Lauren Gelmetti (Westfield, NJ) allowed one run and five hits in a 4-1 victory in game one, then center fielder Laura Chapman (Seattle, WA) had three hits and scored twice in game two's 8-5 win.

The Jumbos, ranked #5 nationally and #1 in New England, improved to 34-0 overall with two regular-season games remaining at Brandeis on Tuesday (Apr. 28). Tufts will host the NESCAC Tournament at Spicer Field next weekend (May 1-3). Endicott, ranked #3 in New England and winners of 16 straight games coming in, fell to 33-6 overall.

Gelmetti and Endicott sophomore Jenna Bortolotti (Milton, MA) were in a pitcher's dual for the first half of game one. In the top of the first, Endicott senior 1B Casey Shanley (Billerica, MA) singled and stole second, but Gelmetti left her there by getting the next two outs. Bortolotti stranded four Jumbo runners on base in the second and third innings.

A hit batter and an error by the Gulls started a rally in which Tufts scored all of its runs in the fourth inning. Senior 3B Sam Kuhles (Somerville, NJ) hit a two-run single and junior SS Casey Sullivan (Berlin, CT) laced a two-run double. Endicott first-year DH Katherine McGann (Topsfield, MA) popped a solo home run with two outs in the fifth to pull Endicott within 4-1. Neither pitcher allowed much after that. Gelmetti finished with seven strike outs and did not walk a batter, improving to 14-0 this spring. Bortolotti allowed seven hits and three earned runs, walking one and striking out two in her six innings.

Sullivan was 2 for 4 and stole a base for Tufts. Kuhles finished 2 for 3 and scored a run. Sophomore LF Hayley Hovhanessian (Farmington, CT) was 2 for 3 for the Gulls, though she was picked off first base following a single in the second inning by her older sister, Tufts catcher Cara Hovhanessian (Farmington, CT).

The Jumbos trailed for the first time since April 12 against Wellesley when Endicott scored in the first inning of game two. Junior SS Jenna Lazar (Milton, MA) led off with a bunt single and eventually scored on a double by senior catcher Meghan Sargent (Salisbury, MA). However, Tufts responded with four in the bottom of the inning. Sullivan and Chapman both singled and scored in the frame.

Pitchers Izzie Santone (Madison, CT) for Tufts and Endicott's Jackie Collier (Swampscott, MA) threw blanks in the second through fourth innings. Endicott loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth and scored on an infield single by junior 3B Merry MacDonald (Braintree, MA), plating junior RF Megan Downey (Ballston Lake, NY), who had started the rally with a single. Tufts again had a response, scoring four in the bottom of the fifth to make their advantage 8-2. Both senior RF Maya Ripecky (Chicago, IL) and first-year DH Lena Cantone (Southington, CT) hit RBI singles and scored runs in the inning.

Endicott scored three times in the top of the seventh, including a two-run home run by MacDonald, but Santone finished off her 16th win of the season. She allowed 12 hits and five runs while striking out two with no walks. Collier took the loss, giving up 11 hits and six earned runs with two strike outs and two walks.

Ripecky (2 for 3, 2 RBI, run) joined Chapman as Jumbos with multiple hits in the second game. Lazar (3 for 4, 2 runs), MacDonald (3 for 4, 3 RBI, run) and Downey (2 for 3, 2 runs) spiked the Gulls' attack.

While Tufts will play for an undefeated regular-season on Tuesday, Endicott begins The Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament play that day.

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