WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Endicott softball season came to an end on Sunday afternoon after they dropped an 11-0 decision to reigning National Champions, #1 Tufts in one of two, New England Regional finals at Williams. Endicott defeated Williams and Lesley yesterday to eliminate the two from the double elimination round of the regional tournament before being ousted by the Jumbos today.
Endicott ends their tremendous season at 27-13-1 while claiming the programs 10th Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) title and their first since 2011. Tufts (40-3) will move on to the Super Regionals where they will compete with the winner of the second New England Regional that took place at Wellesley along with the winners of the Redlands and Texas-Tyler Regional sites.
Entering the contest the last time the two squads met was back on April 22nd where the Blue and Green traveled to Medford, Mass. for a doubleheader against the NESCAC foe. The Jumbos were ranked #4 at the time and took the Gulls in a 1-0 and a 3-0 decision. Today Tufts remained the only undefeated team in the Williamstown Regional. The Gulls rallied back from their loss to Williams on Friday and earned two victories yesterday, one being the programs first victory over Williams, to stay alive in the regional tournament and move into today's contest.
Starting off in the circle for the Gulls was senior Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.) who wrapped up her time in a Blue and Green uniform with an impressive 15-3 record on the season as she faced 16 batters and recorded two strikeouts pitching just over two innings. Sharing time with O'Connor was sophomore pitcher Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) who hurled 1.2 innings today. In the circle for the Jumbos was junior pitcher Allyson Fournier (South Windsor, Conn.) who recorded 10 strikeouts in the game while not allowing a single hit for the Blue and Green in her four innings.
Tufts got on the board early in the bottom of the first as they scored four runs. The first came off a single up the middle by junior Michelle Cooprider (Hopkinton, Mass.) followed by three more runs off two fielding error by the Gulls.
After a scoreless second inning by both sides, the Jumbos put up five runs in the bottom of the third led by sophomore Christina Raso (Burlington, Mass.) who hit a grand slam to take a 9-0 lead. Fournier (21-0) hurled an impressive game in the circle for Tufts posing trouble to the Endicott offense.
The Jumbos put up two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and while pitcher, Lauren Giglio (Niskayuna, N.Y.) closed out the top of the fifth to secure the 11-0 victory over the Blue and Green.
Endicott has a lot to be proud of in their 2014 season highlighted by a 10th CCC title as well as an impressive showing in this regional tournament knocking off NESCAC opponent Williams who is ranked #2 in the New England region.