FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 13, 2007

2007 NCAA Div. III Softball Tournament
New England Region Score Report

Providence, RI

GAME 13

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

#3 Wellesley College (25-14)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

#2 Tufts (31-12)

1

0

0

0

2

0

X

5

10

1

Jumbos Stay Alive in, 5-0, Win Over Blue
Set to Face Top-Seeded Rhode Island College at 2 p.m.

Providence, RI—Second-seeded Tufts eliminated third-seeded Wellesley, 5-0, in game 13 of the 2007 NCAA Div. III New England Regional Softball Tournament. The Jumbos advance to play top-seeded Rhode Island College at 2 p.m. in what could be the championship contest of the regional. RIC handed Tufts its only loss of the tourney yesterday, 3-0. Rhode Island College is currently undefeated with a 3-0 mark at the tourney.

The Jumbos (31-12) will need to defeat Rhode Island College this afternoon in order to force a one-game championship contest tomorrow at 10 a.m. to decide which team will advance to the National Championship round in Salem, Virginia from May 17-20.

The Jumbos didn’t wait long to take the lead as junior starting pitcher Erica Bailey (Scottsdale, AZ) plated sophomore left fielder Roni Herbst (Montclair, NJ) with a one-out RBI single to right field.

Tufts loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with two out, but Wellesley (25-14) sophomore pitcher Beej Grundlock (Blackwood, NJ) got freshman first baseman Christy Tinker (Woodbridge, CT) to pop out to second to end the frame.

Grundlock was lifted after four innings of work, allowing one run on four hits, to go along with two walks and two strikeouts. Junior Kristie Gola (Bordentown, NJ) came on in the fifth and was greeted by three straight hits. Tufts sophomore right fielder Maya Ripecky (Chicago, IL) belted a two-RBI triple to the wall in left center field to plate Herbst and sophomore third baseman Samantha Kuhles (Somerville, NJ). Wellesley Head Coach Keri O’Meara brought on junior Jenna Harvey (London, Ontario) to get out of the jam, but the damage was already done.

Tufts junior shortstop Heather Kleinberger (New City, NY) plated freshman second baseman Casey Sullivan (Berlin, CT) with a sacrifice fly to right field and sophomore center fielder Laura Chapman (Seattle, WA) scored on Herbst’s two-out RBI double to make the score, 5-0, in the sixth.

Bailey hurled a complete game, one-hit shutout to up her record to 8-4. She retired 13 of the first 14 batters she faced, while setting down the final eight. She allowed only two base runners on a hit and a walk.

Grundlock took the loss (3-2) for the Blue.

-Complete box score to follow-