STEFANIE TONG, SOFTBALL
Sweeping Trinity in a must-win three-game set in Hartford, Conn. this weekend, Tufts moved itself into prime position to capture the NESCAC East regular season title, in addition to home-field advantage, in the Tournament come May. Freshman pitcher Stefanie Tong was in the center of the action both days, closing out game one on Friday and throwing a six-inning complete-game shutout in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
After taking the second game of the series 7-3, the Jumbos put together an even more convincing performance in game three, pounding out eight runs in a mercy-rule victory behind a solid performance from Tong on the mound. The rookie hurler notched her fourth win of the season, facing 25 batters and surrendering just four hits.
In Friday afternoon's 3-2 victory, Tong entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh. Despite forcing in the Bantams' second run, she recovered and and recorded the final out to seal her team's first victory of the series.
The Jumbos will host Brandeis and Endicott early this week before taking on the Colby Mules this weekend.
DEREK RICE, BASEBALL
After the baseball team's 2-1 win over the Trinity Bantams Friday afternoon, no one expected senior Derek Rice's near-perfect performance to be overshadowed.
Turns out Trinity junior Tim Kiely had a trick or two up his sleeve. He actually was perfect on Saturday afternoon, throwing the first perfecto in the the program's 139-year history. But hey ... Kiely only pitched seven innings. Rice threw eight. He's your Athlete of the Week.
Rice gave the Jumbos a much-needed win in the series opener, allowing one run on six hits in eight innings of work against the Bantams, and out-dueling his opponent, Trinity junior ace Chandler Barnard, to give Barnard (6-1) his first loss of the year. Rice's 4-0 record is now tied for the best mark in the NESCAC.
Rice has been a mainstay in the Jumbo rotation ever since his arrival at Tufts two years ago. A transfer student from Div. II Rollins, the hurler arrived at Tufts as a sophomore, going 5-3 with a 2.18 ERA in 2005. His win over the Bantams Friday was the 12th of his Tufts career.
Hoping to secure a division title, Rice and the Jumbos take the field Friday for their next NESCAC East battle against the Colby Mules. An outright first-place finish in the East would be the Jumbos' first since 2002.
