Tufts Softball Sweeps Saturday NESCAC East Double-header over Trinity

MEDFORD - Tufts mashed 15 hits in game one and sophomore Raina Galbiati took a no-hitter into the fifth inning of game two as the Jumbos swept a NESCAC East softball double-header over Trinity College 13-4 and 6-1 Saturday at Spicer Field.

Sara Willner-Giwerc had five rbis in the two games

With Saturday's sweep, the Jumbos also swept the three-game weekend series over the Bantams. Tufts improved to 16-6 overall and 9-0 in the NESCAC East. The Jumbos have won 57 straight games in the division dating back to 2011. Trinity dropped to 13-9 overall and 6-4 in the NESCAC East.

The Bantams had a 2-0 lead in the first game as Courtney Erickson and Nicole Towner hit back-to-back rbi doubles in the top of the first. The Jumbos answered with two in the bottom of the second on rbi base hits by Sarah Finnigan and Samantha Siciliano.

Erickson and Towner drove home runs again in the third giving the Bantams a 4-2 advantage. However, the Jumbos would score four in the bottom of the third, two in the fifth, and five in the bottom of the sixth to end the game early.

Sophomore RF Raven Fournier hit a two-run home run to highlight the third. Junior Summer Horowitz doubled home a run and scored in the fifth. Sara Willner-Giwerc's three-run double ended the game in the sixth.

Three Jumbos had three hits in the first game. Fournier went 3 for 3 with four runs scored and two
rbis. Siciliano was 3 for 4 with three rbis at the top of the order. Finnigan finished 3 for 4 with three runs and an rbi. Horowitz (2 for 3, 2 runs, rbi), Carrie Copacino (1 for 4, 2 runs, 2 rbis), and Christian Cain (2 for 4, 2 runs) were also key contributors.

Senior Eric County earned the win in relief, her 13th of the season. She allowed just two hits and no runs in four innings.

Erickson was 2 for 3 with two rbis and a run in the opener for Trinity, while Towner went 2 for 3 with two rbis. Michelle Treglia scored twice. Erickson took the pitching loss.

Galbiati and Trinity's Rachael Smith dueled in the second game. Galbiati retired the first 11 batters before allowing a fourth-inning walk. Smith allowed just one run in the first four innings on Copacino's bunt single and an rbi double by Willner-Giwerc.

Trinity broke up the no-hit bid in the fifth with infield singles by Erica Merullo and Meaghan Race. They loaded the bases with two outs, but Galbiati got a ground-ball out to end the inning.

Fournier's two-run triple to right in the fifth gave Tufts some breathing room, and she scored on a double by Cain making it 4-0. All three runs in the inning were unearned. Tufts added two in the sixth as Marly Becker walked and scored on a sacrifice fly by Willner-Giwerc, and Copacino singled and came home on a walk to Fournier.

Galbiati lost the shutout in the seventh when Merullo tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a single by Race. However, she picked up her third win going the distance allowing five hits and one run with four K's and three walks.

Copacino (2 for 3, 2 runs) and Cain (2 for 3, rbi) were the only Jumbos with multiple hits in game two.

Merullo finished 2 for 3 with a run for Trinity, while Race was also 2 for 3. Only three of the six runs allowed by Smith were earned as she went six innings allowing seven hits with five walks and three strikeouts.

Tufts hosts MIT in a regional showdown at Spicer on Tuesday starting at 3. Trinity is next in action on Tuesday for a pair at Coast Guard (3 pm).