Softball Takes NESCAC Quarterfinal Over Amherst 8-0 in Five Innings

BRUNSWICK, ME (May 9, 2025) – The Tufts University softball team scored four times in the first inning and went on to an 8-0 win over Amherst College (five innings) in Game 1 of the NESCAC Tournament on Friday at Bowdoin College.

While the Jumbo offense was capitalizing on its eight hits, four walks and three hit-batters, Tufts fifth-year pitcher Sophia DiCocco threw a two-hit shutout for her 15th win of the season.

The Jumbos would send 10 hitters to the plate in the top of the first to surge to the 4-0 lead. Walks to Bela Jimenez and Haley Leimbach were sandwiched around a single by Kaitlyn Perucci to load the bases with no outs. After a force-out at the plate, Keriann Slayton walked to bring in Tufts’ first run. Lauryn Horita then doubled over the center fielder’s head clearing the bases as Tufts took a quick four-run margin.

With DiCocco retiring the first six Amherst batters, the Jumbos then added a run in the second. Perucci tripled to left-center and scored on Horita’s sacrifice fly making it 5-0.

The Mammoths would get their first hit on a single by Abby Moravek to lead off the third, and she was sacrificed to second. DiCocco retired the next two hitters to leave her there.

Horita continued her great game with a double to lead off the bottom of the third, and then Lindsay Neumann was hit by a pitch, but Tufts could not take advantage of the two-on, no-out situation. Abby Rebhan would have the Mammoths’ second and final hit in the top of the fourth, but to no avail.

The Jumbo lead ballooned to 7-0 in the fourth as Perucci walked and then Haley Leimbach launched her first home run of the season to left.

After DiCocco pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth, Tufts would score its eighth run in the bottom of the inning to end the game. Fallon O’Connor started with a single, then pinch-runner Sarah Cullen was sacrificed to second by Madi Sewell. With two outs, Peruccu singled home Cullen for the game-ending run.

Perucci finished 3 for 3 with three runs and an rbi in the game, while Horita was 3 for 3 with three doubles and three rbis. Leimbach went 1 for 2 with two rbis and two runs. DiCocco struck out three and did not walk a batter in her five innings.

Moravek took the loss for Amherst (3 IP, 5 H, 7 ER), while Rebhan pitched 1.2 innings in relief giving up three hits and a run.

Due to rain in Medford, today’s first two games of the NESCAC Tournament were moved to Bowdoin College. The weather is also forcing a change to the tournament schedule on Saturday and Sunday.

The Jumbos will now play their semifinal game on Sunday at 9:30 AM against either Colby College or Middlebury College.

Visit NESCAC.com for updates on the softball tournament schedule.

 

–JUMBOS–