March 17, 2002 

FORT MYERS, FL - Despite a 13-strikeout performance by senior hurler Lauren Peloquin (Berkley, MA), the Amherst College softball team dropped its season-opener in a tiebreaker, 2-1, to Babson College Sunday afternoon in Fort Myers, Florida. 

With the score tied 1-1 each team began the eighth inning with a runner on second base, in compliance with the NCAA tiebreaker rule. Amherst failed to score during the top half of the inning and Babson took advantage, bunting its runner to third base and scoring the game-winner on a sacrifice fly. 

The Jeffs had their chances, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when junior third baseman Missy Mordy (Sammamish, WA) drilled a leadoff double, moved to third on an error by the left fielder and scored on a sac fly by Peloquin. Not to be outdone, Babson knotted the score with an unearned run in the fifth, thanks to an Amherst error on a bunt play. 

The Jeffs also had a legitimate scoring opportunity in the fourth inning. Sophomore first baseman Gina Scribner (Star, ID) doubled and went to third on a passed ball. Junior Emily Melia (Hingham, MA) then walked, giving the Jeffs runners on the corners with one out. However, a strikeout and a harmless fly ball ended the threat. 

Amherst nearly won the game in the seventh, when senior catcher Becca Binder (Scarsdale, NY) led off with a base hit. Rookie pinch runner Liz Staunton (Milton, MA) then advanced on a perfect sac bunt by sophomore Della Huff (San Rafael, CA), but was doubled off second on a line out by sophomore Jess Allen (Chagrin Falls, OH). 

The Jeffs return to action Monday in Fort Myers, taking on Bowdoin College at 9 a.m. and St. Lawrence University shortly thereafter. 

Click HERE for full box score...