Stacia Saniuk '09

MEDFORD, Mass. -- Junior pitcher Erica Bailey (Scottsdale, Ariz.) fired a three-hitter with eight strikeouts to lead the Tufts University softball team to an 8-1 victory over Bates College in the NESCAC East Division opener for both teams on Friday afternoon at Spicer Field. The game was the home opener for the Jumbos as well.

Bailey walked the first batter she faced, Bates shortstop Caitlin Murphy (Westwood, Mass.), and Murphy came around to score on a passed ball followed by an RBI single from Bobcat catcher Stacia Saniuk (Sharon, Mass.). After that, Bailey dominated the Bobcats. She struck out the side in the second and retired 11 in a row at one point until Bates 1B Val Beckwith (Woburn, Mass.) singled in the fifth. The Bobcats had one runner reach second base in the second through seventh innings.

The Jumbos built a 5-1 lead largely on Bates miscues. They scored three times in the third, aided by two Bates errors. Bailey's groundout produced the only RBI of the inning. In the fifth, the Jumbos scored twice on the same play when a play at the plate went awry for the Bobcats.

Though five innings, Bates starter Kristin Masino (North Arlington, N.J.) was pitching well. The majority of Jumbo hits were of the infield variety. However, Tufts showed its pop in the sixth. Sophomore RF Maya Ripecky (Chicago, Ill.) hit a solo home run with one out, then first-year 2B Casey Sullivan (Berlin, Conn.) hit a two-run homer to give the Jumbos an 8-1 lead.

Sullivan finished 3 for 3 with three runs scored and the two RBIs for Tufts, which improved to 9-4 overall. Sophomore LF Roni Herbst (Montclair, N.J.) had two bunt singles and scored on both of them. First-year LF Jill Cappucci (Saugus, Mass.) had the only other Bobcat hit besides Saniuk and Beckwith.

Tufts and Bates (2-5) continue their divisional series tomorrow with a double-header at Spicer starting at 11:30 a.m.

BOX SCORE: Tufts 8, Bates 1