MEDFORD, Mass. -- Dani Torres Werra retired the only batter she faced to escape a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning Saturday, helping the Amherst College softball team advance to the 2022 NESCAC Tournament Championship Game with a 2-1 victory over Trinity in a semifinal played at Tufts University.

The Mammoths, who improved to 23-7 overall and who have now won 10 of their last 11 games and five straight, will face top-seed and host Tufts in the title game Sunday at 10 a.m. on the Jumbos' Spicer Field. 

This Amherst's first NESCAC championship game/round appearance since 2017 and its second overall. The Mammoths are seeking their first NESCAC Tournament title. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Amherst struck for both of its runs in the bottom of the first. With one out, Rachel Lovejoy doubled into the right-center field gap. Autumn Lee followed with a hard single through the right side of the infield that scored Lovejoy for a 1-0 lead. Lee advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Jess Butler lined a single into center field for a two-run advantage. 

* Senior Talia Bloxham made her first appearance in the circle since April 23rd and was on point from the start, inducing 14 groundball outs in the contest while striking out four. She was at her best in tight situations, stranding seven Bantam baserunners in her 6 2/3 innings of work. She scattered six hits in that time, and walked three. 

* With two outs and the bases loaded for Trinity in the top of the third, a walk to Kennedy Rogers forced in a run to make it 2-1, but Bloxham induced an inning-ending groundout to first baseman Virginia Ryan, who made a nifty backhand stab of the sharp one-hop liner and took it to the bag unassisted to end the threat.

* The Mammoths made several good plays in the field to back Bloxham, who improved to 8-3 on the season. With two outs and a Bantam on second in the top of the first, shortstop Lee leapt high to snare a liner off the bat of Rogers to end the inning. Second baseman America Rangel made a difficult play on a foul pop up behind the first base bag, ranging far into foul territory to snag it. In the top of the seventh, Ryan made a nice play to her right to snag a hard one-hopper ticketed for right field and make the unaisssted play at first.

* Trailing 2-1, the Bantams loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh. Torres Werra came in to pitch to Giana Tito, and got her to sky a pop up in fair territory in front of the plate. Torres Werra took it herself to end the game and earn a save. 

* The Mammoths had six hits in the game. Lee was 3 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.