Medford, Mass. (May 16, 2024) – The Golden Bears traveled to the regional hosts, the Tufts University Jumbos, for the opening game of the NCAA tournament. After a weather delay, the Jumbos got two runs quickly in the first. The Golden Bears would fight back with two runs in the third and two in the fourth. However, the Jumbos would tally six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and won the game 8-4. Josie Steinberg and Bela Jimenez led Tufts University by going 4-for-4 and 3-for-3, respectively. Sky Johnson earned the win for the Jumbos by pitching four innings, letting up no earned runs, and striking out four batters. 

Records:

• Western New England: 27-14 (11-5)
• Tufts University: 33-7 (15-3)

Tufts University 8, Western New England 4

Sophia DiCocco started the game in the pitching circle for the Jumbos. DiCocco made quick work of the Golden Bears, sitting them down one, two, three in the top of the first inning. That brought Ava Blanchard to the circle for the Golden Bears. The Jumbos would have runners on second and third, with two outs, as Rachel Moore swung on a pitch and singled. That brought Lauryn Horita and Josie Steinberg home. The Jumbos led 2-0 after the first inning. DiCocco saw three more Golden Bear batters and sat all three down. Outside of a leadoff double, Blanchard took care of the rest of the batters in the inning to move the game to the third. With one out and runners on second and third for the Golden Bears, Taylor Keegan grounded out to second. However, that scored Marley Rodriguez to cut the lead in half. Gracie Hemstock would bunt after that, and a throwing error would see that Kaleigh Blades' run would score to tie the game at two. The Jumbos answered with two singles, but no runs would score, as Blanchard got the final two outs of the third. The Golden Bears started the fourth inning with back-to-back hits. That would bring Sky Johnson into the game as the pitcher for the Jumbos. Lizzie Weston would hit a sacrifice fly to drive Alyssa Poisson home and give the Golden Bears the 3-2 lead. Then, with two outs, Shea McDaniel drove Alex Ferriouolo home to extend the Golden Bear lead to 4-2. Blanchard would keep the Golden Bears in the lead by getting three of the four batters that were faced out. Johnson would start to flip the momentum back to the Jumbos with a one, two, three inning in the top of the fifth, which included two strikeouts. The bottom of the fifth started with a single and then a Lauryn Horita two-run home run over the left-field fence. The game was tied 4-4. The next two batters singled, and Riley Kane entered the game at pitcher for the Golden Bears. The next batter got a hit to load the bases for Bela Jimenez, who singled into right field and cleared the bases. The Jumbos led 7-4. The Golden Bears would get an out, but then Haley Leimback would hit into a fielder's choice, which resulted in Bela Jimenez beating the throw to home to extend the lead to 8-4. The Golden Bears would get out of the inning a few batters later. The sixth inning saw a runner get on base with two outs for WNE. However, they could not get the runner home. Kane would sit the Jumbos down one, two, three in the bottom of the sixth to bring the Golden Bears back to the plate with three outs remaining for them in the game. Johnson wasted no time and sat the Golden Bears down one, two, three to seal a game-one victory for the Jumbos, 8-4.

Around the Diamond:

• The Golden Bears were led by Marley Rodriguez, who went 2-for-3, scoring a run, as well.
• The Golden Bears had one extra-base hit. Alex Ferriouolo hit a double in the fourth inning.
• The Jumbos were led by Josie Steinberg, who went 4-for-4, and Bela Jimenez, who went 3-for-3, with an RBI and a double.
• The Jumbos hit two extra-base hits, including a double from Bela Jimenez and a home run from Lauryn Horita.
• Ava Blanchard pitched four innings, letting up six earned runs and striking out one batter. Riley Kane pitched two innings, letting up two earned runs and striking out one batter.
• Sophia DiCocco pitched three innings, letting up three earned runs.
• Sky Johnson pitched four innings, letting up two hits, no earned runs, and striking out four batters to earn the win for the Jumbos.
• The Jumbos beat the Golden Bears 8-4.

Up Next:

• The Golden Bears will take on the loser of game two of the Tufts University Regional on Friday, May 17, 2024, with the time of the game still to be determined.
• The Jumbos will play the winner of game number two of the regional on Friday, May 17, 2024. The time of that game is to be determined, as well.