SALISBURY, Md. – The fifth-ranked Salisbury University softball team couldn't solve the pitching of the 17th-ranked Tufts Jumbos, falling 3-0 in Game 1 at the Salisbury Super Regional of the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Margie Knight Sea Gull Softball Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both sides squandered chances to score in the early innings. The Jumbos loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the first, but SU pitcher Lindsey Windsor forced Keila McCabe to line out to second to end the threat. With two on and two out in the second, Lauryn Horita poked a base hit into center, but Abby Mace threw out Sarah Cullen at the plate by a wide margin to keep Tufts off the board.
• The Sea Gulls threatened in the bottom of the third on a one-out single by Sam Flowers and a two-out double by Mace to put runners on second and third, but Jumbo ace Sophia DiCocco struck out Windsor looking to preserve the clean sheet.
• After coming up empty in the fifth and sixth, the Jumbos finally broke through in the top of the seventh. Bela Jimenez reached on a two-out error at short and Kaitlyn Perucci followed with a single. Michelle Adelman then tucked a two-run triple inside the right field foul line, and McCabe singled Adelman home to put Tufts up 3-0.
• Meghan Reed singled with two out in the bottom of the seventh but it was no matter for DiCocco, who struck out Emily Stockman to finish the job.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Abby Mace finished 1-for-3 with a double for the Sea Gulls' only extra-base hit.
• Meghan Reed, Emily Stockman, and Sam Flowers each singled.
• Nicole Ortega (17-5) was dealt the loss in relief after allowing three unearned runs on three hits in the seventh.
• Lindsey Windsor spun six scoreless innings in a no-decision, scattering six hits, two walks, and two hit batsmen while striking out three on 83 pitches.
• The loss snaps Salisbury's 23-game NCAA Tournament home winning streak which had dated back to 2014. The Sea Gulls last lost at home in the national tournament in a regional elimination game against Christopher Newport in 2011.

TUFTS GAME NOTES

• Michelle Adelman delivered the go-ahead two-run triple in the seventh, finishing 2-for-3 and scoring a run.
• Keila McCabe went 1-for-4 with an RBI single.
• Kaitlyn Perucci batted 2-for-4 with a run scored.
• Sophia DiCocco (17-4) delivered her 13th complete game and ninth shutout of the season for the Jumbos, giving up just four hits with no walks while striking out four on 95 pitches.
• Tufts has now won four straight NCAA Tournament games against Salisbury after taking the final two games of the 2014 championship series and picking up another win at the 2015 College World Series.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls will enter the final day of Super Regional play on Friday needing to win twice over Tufts to qualify for the NCAA Softball Championship.
• Friday's first game will begin at 1 p.m., with a winner-take-all if-necessary game scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

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Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 199 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.

To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.