Softball defeats No. 11 Tufts in 2026 finale as Dyche '28, Abraham '29 homer

CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College split a NESCAC doubleheader against the Tufts University Jumbos in the Continentals' final games of the season at Hamilton's Loop Road Athletic Complex on Saturday, May 2. Tufts took game one by a score of 10-6 before Hamilton bounced back with a 10-7 victory in game two.

Season Update

• Hamilton (10-27, 3-15 NESCAC) split its final three conference doubleheaders.

• Nationally ranked No. 11 Tufts (27-9, 12-4) moved its record to 13-4 on the road.

Game 1 (Tufts wins, 10-6)

How It Happened

• Tufts' Paige Murphy drove in Lauryn Horita with the first run in the top of the first. The Jumbos added two more runs in the frame for a 3-0 lead.

• Alexis Mayer '26 walked and Hadley Rogers '26 ripped an infield single leading off the bottom of the inning. Both players came around to score on a Nikki Dyche '28 double in the left-center field gap, trimming the deficit to 3-2.

• Tufts extended its lead to 6-2 in the second via an RBI double by Murphy and a two-run single by Kaitlyn Perucci.

• Alison Zorn '26 hammered a leadoff double in the bottom of the second, advanced to third on a single by Sofia Santana '26, and crossed the plate on a double steal that made it 6-3.

• Tufts' Ella Malin and Haley Leimbach drove in runs in the fourth and Tufts increased its advantage to 8-3.

• The Jumbos added one run in the fifth and seventh innings for a 10-3 lead.

• Lydia Mirabito '26 lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the sixth and scored Miranda Mosqueda '28, and Mayer drove in Zorn with a single through the left side that cut the deficit to 10-5.

• Hamilton scored its final run in the bottom of the seventh as Dyche barreled her second double and came around to score on a Zorn infield single.

Notes

• Zorn recorded a season-high three hits with a team-high two runs and one run batted in.

• Dyche registered two doubles in one game for the second time this season and drove in a team-high two runs.

• Mayer finished with one hit, one walk, one run and one RBI.

• Rogers added one hit, two walks and one run.

• Hamilton's Aubrey Purvis '27 allowed three hits and one run in 2.1 innings of relief.

• Murphy provided three hits, three runs and two RBI for the Jumbos, while Horita scored three runs with two hits.

Game 2 (Hamilton wins, 10-7)

How It Happened

• Tufts' Heaven Oliva drove in Horita with the first run in the top of the third.

• Hamilton responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Mayer deposited a leadoff double to left center and Dyche launched a home run over the right field wall and put the Continentals in front, 2-1. Juliana Abraham '29, Mosqueda and Jess Chieco '29 kept the momentum going with three consecutive hits. Chieco's single through the left side scored Abraham and made it 3-1. Zorn brought in Mosqueda with a sacrifice fly and Santana drove in Chieco with a base hit to left center.

• Tufts tied the score with four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple by Malin.

• Hamilton loaded the bases in the fifth and Mirabito provided a sacrifice fly that drove in Chieco as the Continentals regained the lead at 6-5. Mayer ripped a double to right center that brought in Yael Everett '28 and Santana and extended the lead to 8-5.

• Dyche led off the sixth with a single up the middle and Abraham smashed a home run to center field that increased the advantage to 10-5.

• Tufts scored two runs in the top of the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate with one out. Purvis stranded the two runners with a flyout to right field and a groundout to first base and secured the win.

Notes

• Mayer recorded a career-high four hits with a career high-tying two doubles and two runs batted in in her final game as a Continental.

• Dyche and Abraham provided two hits, two runs and two RBI apiece.

• Abraham tallied her team-leading fourth home run of the season while Dyche launched her second in the last three games.

• Santana went 2-for-3 with a walk, one run and one RBI.

• Chieco added two runs, two walks, one hit and one RBI.

• Mosqueda registered her 10th double of the season.

• Purvis earned her third win in the circle after limiting the Jumbos to four runs across the final 3.2 innings.

• Lauren Farace '29 allowed four hits and three runs in 3.1 innings of work.

• Leimbach went 3-for-4 with one RBI for the Jumbos.