MEDFORD, Mass. – Despite capturing the lead with an emphatic five-run fourth inning in their second game, highlighted by RBI singles from junior Dylan Briggs, first-year Laura Daniels, and junior Abby Moravek, the Amherst softball team was thwarted by a hot-hitting Tufts side on Sunday afternoon, dropping competitive 3-0 and 7-6 contests.

Following the pair of losses, Amherst's record turns to 9-7 overall and 1-3 in NESCAC play. Tufts improves to 8-10 overall and 4-0 in the conference. The Mammoths will stay on the road to face Wesleyan University on Saturday, where they'll meet the Cardinals in a doubleheader at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Game 2: Tufts University 7, Amherst College 6

*Following a scoreless first frame, Tufts first-year Cat Kawabe ignited the contest with a two-RBI single down the left field line, leading junior Haley Leimbach and junior Lauryn Horita to cross the plate and take Tufts past Amherst 2-0.
*While Amherst struggled to log hits in the third inning, Tufts continued to find success at the plate. With junior Kaitlyn Perucci on second, sophomore Heaven Olivia drove in one run with a single to right field, 3-0. Leimbach stayed hot with an RBI triple to right center, extending the host's lead to 4-0.

*In the top of the fourth inning, the Mammoths exploded into the lead with a five-run frame.  Briggs spurred Amherst's magic with an RBI single to left field. With one out, Daniels and Moravek quickly followed up with RBI singles of their own, each adding a run to make it 3-4. Finally, sophomore Jenna Holmes nailed a double to right field, leading Daniels and Briggs to cross the plate and capture the lead for the Mammoths, 5-4.

*Amherst stayed hot in the fifth frame as senior Dani Torres Werra scored on a wild pitch, 6-4. However, Tufts regained momentum at the bottom of the stanza, scoring three runs off of two RBI doubles to the right field, 7-6.

*Strong pitching dominated the remainder of the contest as both sides settled for zero runs. 

* Amherst had nine hits. Torres Werra went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored. 

Game 1: Tufts University 3, Amherst College 0

*Tuft's bats got off to a quick start as Olivia hit an RBI double to right field, putting the Jumbos on the scoreboard in the first inning, 1-0.

*Both pitchers were sharp through the next two innings of the contest. Torres Werra held Tufts to zero hits for two innings, while Tufts graduate pitcher Sophia DiCocco kept Amherst hitless for three innings. Torres Werra was impressive in the circle for Amherst, striking out all three batters in the second inning.

*The Jumbos continued to produce in the bottom of the fourth inning as they extended their lead to 2-0 following an RBI fielder's choice from Kawabe. With the bases loaded and one out, Torres Werra struck out one batter and grounded out another to keep Tufts at bay.

*Leimbach gave the host their final run of the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning as she walked with the bases loaded.

*Amherst continued to look for scoring opportunities in the final two stanzas, but a hitless sixth inning and a one-hit seventh inning stifled the Mammoths' momentum and closed the contest 3-0.

* The Mammoths had three hits in the loss, one each from Abby Rebhan, Emma Nordstrom and Dylan Briggs.