Courtesy Tufts Sports Information

Box Score

MEDFORD, Mass. - First-year Casey Sullivan (Berlin, Conn.) went 3 for 4 with two runs scored, including the game-winner in the fifth to lead Tufts University to a 5-3 win over Williams College and a berth in the 2007 NESCAC Softball Championship round on Sunday morning at Spicer Field in Medford, Mass.

Sullivan sprayed the ball around the field in her first three at bats, as she collected a single to third base, right field and through the left side. The Jumbos (27-11) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. First-year Christy Tinker (Woodbridge, Conn.) singled to left field and then advanced to second on a single through the left side by junior Megan Cusick (Albany, N.Y.). Both runners advanced to second and third after sophomore Laura Chapman (Seattle, Wash.) singled off the pitcher. Tinker and Cusick both scored on a single by sophomore Samantha Kuhles (Somerville, N.J.).

Cusick then drove in the third run of the contest in the top of the third inning after Sullivan led off the inning with a single to right field. Tufts then jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the fifth, as Sullivan again led off an inning with a single. After a groundout and a throwing error by the shortstop, which allowed sophomore Maya Ripecky (Chicago, Ill.) to reached first base safely, both Sullivan and Ripecky scored on a single to left field by Tinker.

The Ephs (20-15) mounted a comeback in the home half of the seventh inning. Sophomore Libby Copeland-Halperin (New York, N.Y.) started the comeback by reaching first after being hit by a pitch. Copeland-Halperin then advanced to second on a groundout by freshman Mary Gelber (Winnetka, Ill.) and then Copeland-Halperin reached third safely on a single by senior Regine Lim (San Mateo, Calif.). Copeland-Halperin then scored on a single by sophomore Joey Lye (Scarborough, Ont.), while Lim crossed the plate after a double by sophomore Becky Sansone (Geln Gardner, N.J.). Lye added the third Williams run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Katie Powers (North Reading, Mass.).

The Jumbos belted 11 hits in the contest, as Tinker, Cusick and Chapman ended the contest with two hits apiece, while Tinker and Kuhles each drove in a pair of runs for the victors. Sophomore Lauren Gelmetti (Westfield, N.J.) went the first 6 and 1/3 innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits, while striking out four and walking three, as she improved to 8-2 on the year. Freshman Stefanie Tong (Burlingame, Calif.) relieved Gelmetti with one out in the seventh and retired the two batters she faced to earn her second save of the season.

Junior Taryn Goodman (New City, N.J.) collected a pair of hits for Williams, while Lye, Sansone and Lim had the other hits for the Ephs.  Sophomore Emily Fowler-Cornfeld (St. Louis, Mo.) started the contest for Williams, throwing 4 and 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on eight hits with one walk. Junior Margaret Ryan (Clarksburg, N.J.) pitched the final 2 and 2/3 innings, while giving up three hits and one walk.