AMHERST, Mass. – A five-run Mammoth charge in the bottom of the seventh equalized the scoreboard and sent the contest into an eighth inning, but the rally was not enough as the Amherst College softball team eventually fell 8-5 to Tufts University in game one of their Saturday series at the Amherst Softball Field.
A grand slam from Tufts senior Kaitlyn Perucci erased an early Mammoth lead and sealed a 9-3 victory for the Jumbos in their second game.
Amherst fell to 7-13 overall and 3-5 in NESCAC play, while Tufts improved to 19-5 overall and 8-2 in the conference. Up next, the Mammoths will host Colby College for a series at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday back on the Amherst Softball Field.
Game One: Tufts University 8, Amherst College 5 (8 Innings)
*Perucci doubled through the left side to open the second, while sophomore Cat Kawabe followed up with a single to drive in Perucci, 1-0. With two outs, first-year Mack Seibel hit a single of her own and first-year Ella Malin walked to load the bases, but one final flyout ended the frame.
*Following a double down the right field line, first-year Paige Murphy hustled to home plate on a Perucci single, making it 2-0 at the top of the third.
*While the Mammoths bats continued to struggle placing hits, the Jumbos extended their lead to 5-0 in the fifth. With Perucci, Seibel, and senior Lauryn Horita on base, first-year Ella McHugh launched a hard single down the left side to plate Perucci. Malin then powered a double up the center to plate Siebel and Horita, 5-0.
*In need of a rally in the bottom of the seventh, first-year Annie Katuska lifted a double down the right flank, reaching scoring position on a single from first-year Samantha Portz. The Mammoths then loaded the bases as senior Dylan Briggs advanced on a hit-by-pitch. With two outs, junior Emma Nordstrom walked to push Katuska home, 5-1. Another walk drawn by sophomore Lauren Ro plated Portz. First-year Brooke Wild then slammed the ball down the right side, allowing Briggs to touch home. Finally, the Mammoths equalized 5-5 as sophomore Lulu Leppard hit a single down center field to plate Ro and Nordstrom.
*Tufts soon regained their lead in the eighth as junior Heaven Oliva sent a homer over the left fence. A double led Horita to third on a hit to right center, plating Perucci in the process. Finally, Kawabe sent a single up the middle to plate Horita, 8-5.
*With two outs, Portz and Briggs both reached scoring positions following a hit-by-pitch and a Briggs single, but the effort was not enough as a ground-out closed the contest 8-5.
BY THE NUMBERS:
*Perucci led for the Jumbos, going 4-5 with 3 runs and 1 RBI. Horita went 2-5 with 2 runs and 1 RBI, and McHugh went 3-4 with 1 RBI.
*For Amherst, Leppard went 1-4 with 2 RBI, and Wild went 2-4 with 1 RBI.
*First-year Avery Kanouse recorded 2 strikeouts and allowed 6 hits across 6 innings, first-year Sarah Brody recorded 1 strikeout and allowed 1 hit across 1 inning, and first-year Francesca Colangelo recorded 0 strikeouts and allowed 2 hits across 0.2 innings.
*Senior Abby Moravek recorded 5 strikeouts and allowed 10 hits across 5 innings, while Katuska recorded 3 strikeouts and allowed 5 hits across 3 innings.
Game Two: Tufts University 9, Amherst College 3
*Wild made her way around the diamond in the bottom of the first, reaching on a fielder's choice, then stealing second, and finally touching home as Moravek sailed a double up the right flank, 1-0.
*Horita plated Tufts' equalizer in the following stanza as the batter scored on a wild pitch, 1-1.
*With two outs in the second, senior Abby Kong reached third on a throwing mistake, then reached home plate on a single from Wild down the left line. Leppard then plated Ro with a single, 3-1.
*Tufts catapulted into the lead in the fourth stanza with an emphatic 6-run rally. Horita led off with a single down the middle, eventually scoring on a twin single from Malin that also brought Kawabe to third. Kawabe herself then scored on a wild pitch. First-year Erin Hersh added another on a bouncing groundout from senior Haley Leimbach, putting Tufts into the lead 4-3. Finally, with Malin, Oliva, and Murphy all on base, Perucci slammed a homer to left field to notch the grand slam, 8-3.
*Perucci returned for more in the sixth inning, hitting a left-field double to plate Murphy, 9-3.
BY THE NUMBERS:
*Perucci went 2-4 with 1 run and 5 RBI, and Malin went 2-4 with 1 run and 1 RBI. Wild went 2-4 with 1 run and 1 RBI, and Moravek went 2-4 with 1 RBI.
*Colangelo recorded 2 strikeouts and allowed 9 hits over 3 innings, Brody recorded 0 strikeouts and allowed 2 hits over 3 innings.
*First-year Gwen Religa recorded 2 strikeouts and allowed 5 hits over 3 innings, and sophomore Abby Rebhan recorded 2 strikeouts and allowed 4 hits over 3 innings.
