Two of the top-ranked teams in New England took the field on Tuesday as the softball team traveled to Babson for a doubleheader. In a poll released before the game, Babson was ranked No. 10 in the nation and Tufts stood at No. 24. The Beavers defended the higher ranking, winning the games 4-1 and 8-0 to sweep the double-header.
"Babson played great," coach Cheryl Miller said. "It was just one of those days where everything went their way, and we didn't force many things to go our way."
In the first game, Tufts took an early one-run lead after sophomore Annie Ross singled, then hustled home on a fielding error that added two bases to senior Katie Smith's shot to right field. Things were looking good for the Jumbos, as they were heading to Babson coming off the most successful offensive weekend of the season to date, sweeping all six games and pounding 10 home runs.
But that was to be the high water mark of Tufts' offense for the day. The Jumbos managed only two more hits in the first game, as freshman Alisha Blischok pitched seven innings for the Beavers, retiring four batters. The fifth inning offered the Jumbos' best opportunity to even the score as Smith headed to the plate with the bases loaded, but the inning ended on a foul-ball pop-up to first. Babson built on its two-run lead with scores in the sixth and seventh innings, and took the game 4-1.
The Jumbos fared no better in the second game of the afternoon. Junior Megan Gaskell, the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference and New England Pitcher of the Week, repeated Blischok's first-half performance on the mound. Striking out four and walking only one, Glaskell delivered the second three-hitter of the day for the win and her third shutout of the season.
Only one Jumbo made it past first base, as freshman Danielle Lopez reached second on a Babson error in the third inning. Four of five innings - the second half of doubleheaders are often shorter - saw four or fewer Jumbos up to bat as the Beavers' pitching silenced usually explosive bats.
Gaskell produced from the plate as well, helping her own cause by blasting a two-run shot over the wall. The Beavers had 11 hits for eight runs, and retired the Jumbos 8-0, dropping Tufts' record to 15-5.
Lauren Ebstein took the loss for the Jumbos and falls to 1-3.
The day's games were the lowest offensive output for the Jumbos this season, who average nearly five runs per game and have been shutout only once, by the defending national champions, St. Thomas (Minnesota). Tufts' three hits in each game were their second fewest of the season, and Tuesday's games were the only ones this season without a multiple-base hit from the Jumbos.
Milligan commented on the team's failure to come through at the plate, also citing the loss of freshman Mara Dodson, whose .340 batting average has added another weapon to the Jumbos' offensive arsenal this season. Dodson missed the games with a minor ankle injury, but should return soon.
"We're not a great defensive team," Milligan said. "But we're a good enough defensive team to get by on our hitting. We didn't do either of them well against Babson."
The team returns to action this afternoon at 3:30 in a doubleheader at Spicer Field against in-state rival Springfield. The Jumbos dropped both games to Springfield last year, but had previously won five straight against the Pride.
Milligan hopes Tuesday's performance was just a bump in the otherwise smooth road for the Jumbos this spring, and that the team will get back on track against Springfield.
"This team is very confident, and they're also very talented," she said. "We just didn't play well [on Tuesday]."
