Teams: Softball: Press Releases

Friday, April 3, 2008

TUFTS SOFTBALL'S CAREER HITS AND RBI RECORDS FALL DURING TEAM'S RECORD START

Career RBI and doubles leader Danielle Lopez

MEDFORD -- With a veteran core of players leading the Tufts University softball team to an 18-0 start in 2009, an assault on the program's record book has begun. Since the season started, the career records for hits, runs batted in and doubles have been broken and the total bases record has been tied. The records for runs scored, stolen bases and home runs could fall soon.

The first record to fall was runs batted in. Senior 2B Danielle Lopez (Danvers, MA) eclipsed the old record of 123 set by Lis Drake from 2000-03. Lopez entered the season with 114 and broke the mark with her 10th RBI of 2009 on a run-scoring triple in the first inning of the team's 9-2 victory against Hamilton on March 19 at the Sun West Tournament. "D-Lo" is second on the team with 21 RBI this season, giving her 135 in her career. She led the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and the team with 39 RBI last season. Prior to missing 2007 with a knee injury, she topped NESCAC and the team for the first time in RBI with 48 as a sophomore in 2006. Her freshman season in 2005 featured 27 RBI.

All-time hits leader Samantha Kuhles

The career hits mark was broken on Thursday (Apr. 2) at Bridgewater State College by senior 3B Samantha Kuhles (Somerville, NJ). The previous mark of 175 was held for 12 seasons by Kara Murphy (1994-97). Kuhles was third on the all-time list entering the season with 161 hits. Ironically, she broke the record with a three-run home run during Tufts' nine-run fourth inning that led to a 14-0 victory against the Bears. Just two of her 176 career hits have been four-baggers. She was returning to the Tufts line-up after missing six games due to a hamstring injury and went 2 for 3 with four RBI in the game. After 39 hits during her first season in 2006, Kuhles led NESCAC with 66 as a sophomore in 2007. She was second in the league with 56 hits last spring and has 15 so far this season.

Lopez's seven doubles this spring give her the new Tufts all-time mark of 38. She surpassed the previous record of 36 by Drake from 2000-03. Lopez set a new mark with the first of her two doubles in the fourth inning of a 4-0 victory against Springfield College during the first game of a double-header on March 31.  Lopez led NESCAC in doubles with 11 last season after hitting a career-high 12 in 2005 and eight in her first season of 2006. She already has seven this spring.

The conference Player of the Year in 2006, Lopez tied the team's total bases record with her 289th at Bridgewater State on Thursday. A two-run single in the fourth inning pulled her even with Courtney Bongiolatti's 289 total bags from 2002-05. Lopez will attempt to break the record this weekend when Tufts plays a three-game NESCAC East Division series at Trinity College. During her three full seasons, Lopez has led NESCAC in total bases (99 in 2006), was second (76 in 2005) and was third (74 in 2008).

Lopez and Kuhles are both nearing the runs scored record of 129 set by Murphy from 1994-97. Lopez has 121 entering the weekend and Kuhles has 116. The stolen bases mark of 60 by Murphy from 1994-97 is being pursued by senior Laura Chapman (Seattle, WA), who has 55. Lopez, with 27 home runs in her career, needs six more to topple the power standard of 32 hit by Drake from 2000-03 and by Bongiolatti from 2002-05.

Also during the 2009 season, senior pitcher Lauren Gelmetti (Westfield, NJ) has extended her career winning percentage record. Her mark of 35-7 is a .833 success rate. The team is also approaching the program's record of 20 consecutive wins during the 1995-96 seasons.

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