MEDFORD, Mass. -- Tufts center fielder Michelle Adelman hit home runs in both games as the No. 17 nationally ranked Jumbos recorded a pair of shutout wins over the Bates softball team Saturday in NESCAC action. The Jumbos beat Bates 9-0 in five innings in game one and 8-0 in six innings in game two.
Sky Johnson and Sophia DiCocco both pitched shutouts in the shortened games. Johnson allowed just one hit with nine strikeouts and no walks in the five-inning first game. DiCocco gave up three hits in six innings of game two.
The Jumbos are 13-3 overall and 2-0 in NESCAC, while Bates dropped to 2-9 and 0-2 in conference play.
The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday when they visit WPI for a doubleheader, with first pitch of game one set for 3:30 pm.
Game 1: Tufts 9, Bates 0 (5 innings)
Tufts wasted no time establishing a healthy lead in game one. They scored three in the bottom of the first, with all three tallies coming with two outs. Kaitlyn Perucci hit an RBI double and then a two-run shot to center by Adelman made it 3-0.
The Jumbos added three more in the second inning, again after two outs. Keriann Slayton led off with a walk and Haley Leimbach singled through the left side, but the next two batters were retried. However, Josie Steinberg hit a two-run single up the middle and later stole home before the third out was made on a double steal.
Meanwhile, Johnson struck out six of the first seven batters she faced. Bates' only hit would be a one-out double by junior
Grace Householter (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) in the third. Johnson hit a batter later in her outing, but faced just two over the minimum in her shortened stint.
Tufts scored three more runs in the fourth. Leimbach and Keila McCabe opened with singles, then with one out Steinberg hit another two-run single. A Bates error brought home the ninth Tufts run.
Johnson improved to 4-1 by stranding a runner on base in the top of the fifth to end the game. Steinberg finished 2-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Leimbach was 2-2 with two runs scored, and Perucci had two hits.
Bates starter first-year
Isabella Albro (New York City) allowed nine hits and nine runs (eight earned) in 3.1 innings.
Game 2: Tufts 8, Bates 0 (6 innings)
The Jumbos grabbed the lead in the first inning and did not look back in game two of the twin bill.
Perucci, who finished 3-4 with four RBIs in the second game, hit a run-scoring single in the first to bring in Rachel Moore, who had reached on a fielder's choice and stole second.
Steinberg's defense helped keep it a 1-0 game in the top of the third. With a pair of walks and a single by first-year
Zariya Anderson (Wayzata, Minn.), Bates loaded the bases. Bobcat first-year
Isabel Bettencourt (Peabody, Mass.) laced one back at DiCocco, with the ball deflecting off the pitcher. Steinberg adjusted to make the play, then fired across the diamond to nip Bettencourt for the final out.
Adelman led off the third with a home run to left. A Moore single and Perucci double made it 3-0 Jumbos.
After DiCocco worked through a lead-off single by Bates sophomore
Delaney Rankin (Harrison, Maine) in the fourth, the Jumbos upped their lead to 6-0 with two outs in the bottom of the frame. Adelman and Steinberg singled and would score on a two-run base hit by Moore. Tufts scored again on a Bates error in the outfield.
DiCocco retired the final nine batters she faced. Tufts ended it with two in the bottom of the sixth on an Adelman walk, a Steinberg single and a two-run single by Perucci.
Along with Perucci, Tufts was powered by Adelman who finished 2 for 3 with three runs and an RBI. Steinberg went 2-4 with two runs, and Moore added a 2-4 performnce with three runs and two RBIs.
Bates sophomore
Kennedy Jones (Ocean Springs, Miss.) had a single and a walk, while Rankin took the pitching loss (5.1 IP, 11 H, 5 ER).
