For the past five years, the softball team has been the cream of the crop in the NESCAC East. But its reign could come to an end this weekend as the Trinity Bantams come to town for a three−game series that will likely decide the regular−season title.
While the Bantams are currently one game up in the standings, if Tufts takes two out of three, it will leapfrog Trinity into first thanks to the head−to−head tiebreaker.
"These games are definitely really important," said outfielder Stefanie Tong, one of four seniors who will be honored this Saturday on Senior Day. "A lot is on the line and a lot will be determined about seeding. I think we are very capable of beating Trinity."
Conference play has not been a challenge in recent years for the Jumbos, who will be entering the weekend having won 46 of their last 50 NESCAC East games. But this Trinity team is different from many teams Tufts has throttled in the past. The Bantams are the top team in the NESCAC East in runs per game and are second to Bowdoin in ERA.
Senior outfielder Jessica Tait and junior co−captain Nicole Nardella anchor the Trinity lineup with the second− and third−highest slugging percentages in the NESCAC, respectively, behind only Tufts' own senior co−captain Casey Sullivan. Tait, the Bantams' leadoff hitter, is tops in the conference in double and triples, while Nardella has slugged five home runs thus far, posing a dangerous threat in the cleanup slot at all times.
Stymieing the Trinity bats will be a task to handle for a young Tufts pitching staff that is just coming into its own of late. Junior Izzie Santone and freshmen Rebecca DiBiase and Aly Moskowitz have gotten into a rhythm in recent weeks, evenly splitting the starting duties for each of the last two conference series. In conference play, they are a combined 5−1 with a 1.58 ERA, having allowed more than three runs just once.
"In California, it was shocking because in the college game you can't make a mistake on a pitch," said DiBiase, referring to the Jumbos' spring break trip out West. "One pitch over the middle could lose you an entire game. After California, I knew better what to expect and how to prepare in practice. It has been easier to settle down because of the experience I've gotten."
On the offensive side of the ball, the Jumbos will be looking to emulate Sullivan, the reigning NESCAC Player of the Week. Sullivan banged out four home runs last weekend against Bates and now leads the conference in that category. The Tufts bats have shown power all season, hitting 16 round−trippers in Tufts' first 22 games.
"I don't think any team member expects to hit a home run," Tong said. "We don't expect to score if we can't string hits together. It shows we have a lot of power and potential on the team, but it will be even better when we can string hits together and score even more runs."
But the Jumbos will need to bounce back after only managing one run in a non−conference game against Bridgewater St. this past Tuesday. It was Tufts' lowest scoring output since returning home from their California trip, and is something they cannot afford to repeat against a very competent Trinity team.
"We came off on a high from the Bates series and had already scored seven runs against Bridgewater the week before," Tong said. "I think what we did wrong was assuming if we didn't score early we would make it up in the later innings. And it just didn't come through for us in this game. With the Trinity game, I think we will be ready to attack them from the get go."
Recent history favors the Jumbos, who have only dropped three games to the Bantams in the last decade. They will also have a home field advantage, as the single Saturday game — which was pushed back due to rain forecast — will fall at the same time as the TCU−sponsored Springcoming.
"It's always really nice to see all of the fans out," DiBiase said. "Also, having other Tufts teams playing around us is great because there are fans all over the place, and the school spirit really helps. It definitely gets me fired up."
