LEWISTON, Maine -- The visiting Tufts University Jumbos scored seven runs in the third inning to pull away from the Bates softball team, defeating the Bobcats 14-2 in five innings Friday at Lafayette Street Field.

The Bobcats (8-14, 1-9 NESCAC) fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first on a two-RBI double from Josie Steinberg and an RBI double down the left field line from Meggie Murphy.

Bates got one back in the bottom of the first. First-year Sarah Cooke (Wenham, Mass.) reached on an error and advanced to second on the play. Then senior Kennedy Ishii (Honolulu, Hawaii) bunted her to third base and Cooke came around to score on a wild pitch.

Senior Danielle Polirer (Bellmore, N.Y.) shut down the Jumbos in the second inning but Tufts (28-9, 9-1 NESCAC) exploded for seven runs in the third. With Bates down 6-1, Rachel Moore hit a grand slam for Tufts to put the game out of reach. 

The Bobcats got their second run of the contest in the bottom of the fourth. Senior captain Janell Sato (Honolulu, Hawaii) led off the inning with a single to left. Junior Lindsey Kim (Palo Alto, Calif.) doubled her to third and Sato scored on an RBI groundout from senior Eliza McNulty (Cambridge, Mass.). 

With her double, Kim extends her hitting streak to 22 games, dating back to last season. 

Sophia DiCocco tossed a complete game for Tufts, holding Bates to four hits. Sato finished 2-2 with a run scored to pace the Bobcats.

The Bobcats and Jumbos square off again Saturday at 12pm in a doubleheader. It's Senior Day for Bates, as the Bobcats will honor Ishii, team captain Emily Samar (New York City), Polirer, Aleah Pagan (Orinda, Calif.), Sato, and McNulty before game one. Festivities start at 11:40am.