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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, March 29, 2024

Softball | Jumbos off to hot start with 13-1 spring break

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The Tufts softball team traveled to Clermont, Fla., over spring break and kicked off their season with 14 games in the Sunshine State. The Jumbos hit the ground running, going 13-1 and passing their first test of the season with flying colors.

Tufts began play by bludgeoning Bethany College, 13-4, in their season opener on March 16. Every Jumbo recorded at least one hit, making the win a true team effort. Later that day, Tufts lost their first and only game of the trip to Calvin College, 6-4, unable to recover after falling behind 6-1 after three innings.

From there, Tufts won out, notching 12 consecutive victories in the remainder of their overwhelmingly successful trip. The Jumbos finished off the trip on a high note with their 11-0 victory over Merrimack, a Div. II school, on March 23. Tufts scored all their runs in the first three innings, giving senior Aly Moskowitz a big cushion as she delivered five innings of one-hit ball.

"Overall, the whole team is very happy with the results of the week," sophomore pitcher Allyson Fournier said. "Everybody on our team contributed to the success, and I was very happy with how we worked together to produce results."

The Jumbos excelled in every facet of the game. Tufts' pitching staff, led by Fournier, the reigning NESCAC Pitcher of the Year, recorded five shutouts and held their opponents to three runs or fewer in 10 of 14 games. Fournier was in top form, going 5-0 with an ERA of 0.50 and 65 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings. The First Team All-American is well on her way to another dominant season and believes her fellow pitchers are primed for success as well.

"The pitching staff has improved significantly since the start of the week," she said. "We have gained more confidence and poise on the mound and have worked on keeping the ball where it is difficult to hit. We all have ... unique [styles] of pitching, and that makes us even more effective as a staff."

Fournier also credited the offense for supplying her and her rotation-mates with plenty of run support. The Jumbos' lineup is firing on all cylinders, having scored in double digits five times and averaging nearly seven runs per game. Junior catcher Jo Clair slugged four home runs and knocked in 15 runs to pace Tufts' offensive attack.

The Jumbos also have speed to complement their power and were aggressive on the basepaths, stealing 24 bases in 26 attempts, and the defense was just as efficient, converting nearly 96 percent of batted balls into outs.

Senior tri-captain Emily Beinecke has been impressed with the team's balance and versatility.

"One of the most exciting things about this season is the depth that we have," the second baseman said. "We have girls from every class who are all capable of contributing in huge ways to the success of our team."

The Jumbos left Florida brimming with confidence and optimism, but they aren't taking anything for granted. There is still a lot of softball to be played, and they still have a long way to go before they reach the lofty goals they have set for themselves.

"At this point in the season, we are very excited with how the team is performing and where we can go, but we are taking it one day at a time to keep improving," Fournier said.

"The NESCAC teams we will face in the upcoming weeks always put up a fight, so we will have to come out ready to play every day."

Because the doubleheader at Endicott has been postponed due to poor field conditions, Tufts will resume play against Bates on Friday afternoon.