Records Fall as MIT Softball Blanks Emerson in Two Game Sweep

BOSTON, Mass. – In a doubleheader that saw MIT put up 17 runs and 25 hits against New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Emerson College, senior Tori Jensen (Holliston, Mass.) broke the program record for career RBI's and tied the mark for career home runs. Today's contests took place at Rotch Field, Emerson's home park, due to poor field conditions at Briggs Field in Cambridge.

Jensen went 5-for-7, drove in five runs and crossed the plate three times over the two games to pace the Engineers' offensive attack. With her five RBI's, the senior breaks a 31 year old record set by Lou Jandura '85, who produced 76 runs in her time with the program. Jensen's eighth home run, which she launched over the centerfield wall in game one, tied her with Jenny Li '11 for most career round trippers at 8. One more and Jensen will break the mark that was set between 2008 and 2011.

Game One: MIT 9, Emerson 0 (Six Innings)

MIT senior Alexandra Marshall (Glen Head, N.Y.) earned the win (9-4) for the Engineers as she tossed four shutout innings allowing just one hit, one walk and producing nine strikeouts. Emerson sophomore Kodie Cash (Big Bear City, Calif.) took the loss (1-5) on three innings pitched, five runs (four earned), seven hits, three walks and a punch out.

Jensen got the scoring going for MIT as a RBI double to right center scored sophomore Amanda Lee (Saratoga, Calif.), while classmate Zoe Hinton (Aurora, Colo.) tripled down the right field line for the early 2-0 advantage. The power bats came out in the late innings for the Engineers as Jensen drilled the ball over the fence in left centerfield, while Hinton ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run blast of her own – her third career home run.

After giving up a single to Emerson freshman Kallista Leonardos (El Grenada, Calif.) in the top of the first, Marshall retired the next ten of 11 Lions' batters in a great shutdown performance. In her last 32 innings in the circle, the senior has allowed just one run for an ERA of 0.25 over the stretch and 0.85 for the season.

MIT sophomore Deanna Delgado (Miami, Fla.) closed the game over the final two innings in relief. In her fourth appearance this year, Delgado allowed two hits, one walk and struck out two, including the last batter of the sixth, escaping the bases loaded jam and preserving the shutout.

Game Two: MIT 8, Emerson 0 (Five Innings)
In the second game, MIT freshman Ravenne Nasser (Methuen, Mass.) struck out three batters and retired the first 11 of 12 hitters she faced to pick up the win (4-1) on four innings pitched. The only blemish came in the fourth when Leonardos notched an infield single, breaking up the perfect game. Emerson senior Samantha Corey (Londonderry, N.H.) shouldered the loss (5-9) on three innings, six runs (four earned), eight hits, one walk and three strikeouts.

Much like the first game, MIT got on the board in the bottom of the opening frame. Lee doubled home classmate Jasmin Joseph (Woodland Hills, Calif.), who reached via a leadoff single and proceeded to second on a stolen base.

The Engineers then put a five-spot on the board in the third, putting the game out of reach of the Lions. With Joseph on first with another lead off hit, junior Monica Shifflet (Poway, Calif.) got on base via a dropped ball by the right fielder. After the error rattled Corey and the Emerson defense, MIT batted around for the five runs. Jensen, junior Ali Trueworthy (Rochester, N.H.) and sophomore Katherine Shade (Glencoe, Ill.) all notched RBI singles, accounting for the outburst.

In the fourth, Jensen roped an RBI single to left and freshman Kim Veldee (Kirkland, Wash.) produced the eighth run on a sacrifice fly. Freshman Amber VanHemel (Coconut Creek, Fla.) closed the game with two swinging strikeouts, securing the win and two-game sweep of Emerson. The victories push MIT's win streak to 11, two shy of tying the program record set back in 1984.