Courtesy Tufts Sports Information

Box Score

MEDFORD, Mass. - The Tufts University softball team hit three home runs to power its way to an 11-2 victory over Wesleyan University in game one of the 2007 NESCAC Softball Championship at Spicer Field on Friday afternoon.

The Jumbos (26-11) advance in the winner s bracket and will play Williams on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Wesleyan (21-14) will play Trinity in an elimination game on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

Wesleyan started out on top when first-year Meaghan Dendy (Swansea, Mass.) lined the second pitch of the game over the center field fence for her first of the season and a 1-0 Cardinal lead. However, the Jumbos struck for seven in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore RF Maya Ripecky (Chicago, Ill.) hit a three-run home run, junior shortstop Heather Kleinberger (New City, N.Y.) had a two-run single and sophomore 3B Samantha Kuhles (Somerville, N.J.) hit a two-run double in the inning.

Wesleyan starter Karla Hargrave (Brookfield, Conn.) was only able to record two outs before Tufts knocked her out of the game.

Tufts starter Erica Bailey (Scottsdale, Ariz.) settled in and put down the Cardinals 1-2-3 in the second. Jumbo first-year 1B Christy Tinker (Woodbridge, Conn.) then put the hosts up 10-1 with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second. The Tufts lead went to 11-1 in the third on the first home run of the year by Bailey.

The Cardinals scored a run in the fourth to make it 11-2, but left the bases loaded. Senior tri-captain Dayna Yorks (Needham Heights, Mass.) reached on a fielder s choice and scored on another fielder s choice by sophomore DH Julia Chamberlin (Evergreen, Colo.). A two-out single by Dendy loaded the bases, but junior CF Becca Feiden (Takoma Park, Md.) lined out to third to end the inning.

With the eight-run rule looming in the fifth, Wesleyan senior tri-captain Molly Gaebe (Miami, Fla.) doubled with one out. First-year Stefanie Tong (Burlingame, Calif.) replaced Bailey in the pitcher s circle for Tufts and struck out the last two batters after a walk.

Kuhles, Bailey, Tinker and Kleinberger all finished with two hits for Tufts. Dendy and Gaebe had two apiece for Wesleyan.