Erica Bailey, softball
The softball team turned in a dominant performance last week, winning four straight games including a sweep of a doubleheader with Trinity. The Jumbos moved to 22-10 and clinched the top playoff spot in the NESCAC East. It was sophomore pitcher and first baseman Bailey who led the way for the Jumbos, going 9-for-12 at the plate and winning a pair of games on the mound.
Bailey shone in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, going 2-for-3 at the plate and driving in the first three runs of the day, while also earning her fourth win of the season. In the bottom of the first inning, Bailey stepped up to the plate with two outs and two runners in scoring position and drilled a two-run single to give the Jumbos their first lead of the game. With the game tied at two in the third inning, Bailey singled home another run, putting the Jumbos up 3-2. Tufts led the rest of the way, as Bailey worked six innings on the mound, giving up two runs on just two hits, walking three Bantams and striking out four.
With the Jumbos down 1-0 against Brandeis on Wednesday, Bailey singled home two runs in the top of the fifth to give Tufts the lead. Against MIT on Wednesday, Bailey was 4 for 4 at the plate, driving in two runs. On the mound, Bailey went the distance for the Jumbos, pitching all seven innings and allowing just one run. She also struck out 10 Engineers.
The Jumbos, who have turned in 12 20-win seasons in the past 13 years, now stand at 22-10 overall and remain undefeated in the NESCAC East, at 6-0. They are set to take on Endicott in a doubleheader tomorrow.
Clem McNally, men's lacrosse
In Saturday's matchup against NESCAC-rival Bates, the freshman attacker scored five goals, including a game-winner in double overtime. With 2:40 remaining in the overtime period, McNally grabbed a pass from junior midfielder Brett Holm and whipped it past Bates senior goalkeeper Paul Kazarian from a tough angle, sealing the 8-7 victory.
McNally started the game with the Jumbos' first two goals - he first scored one minute into the game to put the Jumbos up 1-0 and gave them their second lead with 4:48 left in the first quarter, making the score 2-1. He found the net for the third time at the end of regulation, forcing a 5-5 tie. He then scored twice in overtime, including the game winner.
Not only were McNally's five goals a career high, but they set a new team best for the Jumbos in 2006. McNally's previous career high was set just last Tuesday, as the freshman scored three times in the Jumbos' 11-10 victory at Western New England. The breakout week launched McNally into double-figures on the season, with 10 goals, good for fifth on the team.
McNally has now led the Tufts squad to back-to-back wins, which brings the Jumbos to 9-4 on the season and 4-3 in NESCAC play. Tufts now must prepare for two more conference opponents, Wesleyan and Connecticut College, in a pair of home games this week, with seedings for Sunday's NESCAC Tournament opener on the line.
