May 9, 2009

BEVERLY, Mass. - Top-seeded Tufts scored five runs in the second inning enroute to a 9-2 win over third-seeded Coast Guard in the winners' bracket final of the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball New England Regional at Endicott College.

Coast Guard will take on Springfield, one final time, at noon on Sunday. The winner will have to beat Tufts at 2:00 on Sunday and then again on Monday morning to advance to the 2009 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

Springfield and Coast Guard will meet for the sixth time this season. The Bears beat the Pride 7-4 on Friday. Coast Guard won the two regular season meetings, while Springfield won both games in the NEWMAC tournament.

The Bears (38-6-1) scored their runs on a two-run single by freshman Jamie Kim in the top of the sixth cutting the lead to 7-2. The Jumbos (41-1) scored a pair of unearned runs in the home half of the inning to close the scoring.

Tufts had 12 hits and took advantage of five Coast Guard errors.

Freshman Hayley Feindel (33-5) went the distance for the Bears and allowed a season-high six earned runs while walking none and striking out a season-low two.

Coast Guard had a few chances early, but they could not take advantage, as the Bears left the bases loaded in the first before leaving runners on second and third in the second inning.

Senior Colleen Denny was 2 for 2 accounting for two of the Bears six hits in the game.