Husson softball lost in the opening game of the NCAA Division III playoffs on Thursday in a 9-3 defeat to Tufts.
Playing at Spicer Field in Medford, Massachusetts, Tufts scored in every inning but the fifth to put away the Eagles (30-13-1).
Tufts (38-4) began the scoring in the first inning when Kaitlyn Perucci hit an RBI single to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Kat Yuzefpolsky drove in a run on a single in the second inning to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
The third inning was the biggest for Tufts, as Haley Leimbach drove in a run with a double, Nicole Russo notched an RBI double, Emma Jacobson drove in the fifth run of the game on a single and Yuzefpolsky tacked on an extra run for the Jumbos on a sacrifice bunt to make it 6-0 after three innings.
Husson’s MacKenna Smith suffered her sixth loss of the season on Thursday, giving up 12 hits and nine runs. The senior struck out four batters.
Rachel Moore singled home a runner in the fourth to make it 7-0.
Husson finally got on the board in the fifth when Tatyanna Biamby and Katie Raymond each drove in a run on singles to make it 7-2.
In the sixth inning, Julia Gregoire hit a solo home run for the Eagles to cut their deficit to 7-3.
Tufts tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to put away Husson.
The Eagles will face Cabrini University on Friday and will need to win in order to stay alive in the tournament.
