MEDFORD, MA- Wesleyan softball reaches the NESCAC postseason tournament for the 7^th time in school history, and the first time since 2018. Wesleyan earned the 4^th seed in the West Division with a 4-8 conference record, matching them up with the #1 seed in the East Division, the Tufts Jumbos (11-1 NESCAC). The game will be played at Spicer Field on the campus of Tufts University on May 6^th at 2:30 pm. The NESCAC Tournament will be a single elimination tournament spanning Friday through Sunday with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

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Wesleyan returns to postseason play for the first time in three seasons by virtue of one of the bigger turnarounds in NESCAC softball history. The Cardinals went 1-14 in the shortened 2021 season just one year ago, before mounting 13 wins (four conference wins) in 2022 to reach the NESCAC Championships. The Cardinals finished 13-18 (4-8 NESCAC) this year, claiming the 4^th seed in the West Division. On the other hand, No. 1 seeded Tufts claimed the best record in the NESCAC in 2022 with a 30-9 (11-1 NESCAC) mark which rewarded them as the host school for the NESCAC Championships.

These two teams will face off for the first time this season, with the last six meetings going to the Jumbos. In their most recent matchups in 2021, Wesleyan was defeated 2-1 and 4-1 by a Tufts team that made the Div. III College World Series (top 8 teams in the country) that same year. The Cardinals have improved since then and are looking for an early round upset over the #1 seeded Jumbos.

 Wesleyan is searching for their 2^nd ever NESCAC Title, with their only other championship coming in 2010. That year they defeated Bowdoin in the championship game to move onto the Regional Tournament in Rhode Island. There, they would win their first and only regional game in Wesleyan's history over Kean (15-3) before dropping the next two to be eliminated. Wesleyan has made the NESCAC Tournament for the 7^th time, also competing in 2007-10, 2013 and 2018. The Cardinals and Jumbos have matched up in each of Wesleyan's six prior tournament appearances, with the Jumbos taking five of the seven matchups over those years. The most recent tournament matchup came in the first round of the 2018 tournament where the Jumbos defeated the Cardinals 7-1.

The two teams come in trending in opposite directions, with the Cardinals losers of their last three, while the Jumbos have put together a 10-game win streak to end their 2022 regular season.

(#4 WEST) WESLEYAN: 13-18
Wesleyan finished their bounce back season with a NESCAC Tournament berth and the chance to win their 2^nd ever NESCAC Championship. The Cardinals come in with a .312 team batting average which ranks middle of the pack (6^th) in the conference. They are led in that category by Sophia Sciarappa '22 who has put together one of the better hitting seasons in recent Wesleyan history. She hit .443 (3^rd NESCAC) while hitting 10 doubles (t-5^th NESCAC) and having an on-base percentage of .526 (2^nd NESCAC). Courtney Collins-Pisano '22 has also been stellar at the plate, posting a .402 batting average (14^th NESCAC) with 43 hits (7^th NESCAC) and stealing 16 bases (4^th NESCAC). One major reason for their improvement this season has been the addition of Isabella Secaira-Cotto '25. The first-year player does it in the circle and in the batter's box for the Cardinals, posting a 2.65 ERA while batting .290 and leading the team with three home runs. Wesleyan will rely on her in the circle and at the plate Friday in hopes of pulling off the first-round upset.

 
(#1 EAST) TUFTS: 30-9
Tufts looks to continue their long history of postseason success, as they enter the NESCAC Tournament searching for their 2^nd straight conference championship (15^th overall). The Jumbos have a rich history past the NESCAC Tournament as well, boasting 19 NCAA Tournament berths, seven College World Series appearances, and three NCAA Championships. They come into the tournament with the best pitching staff in the conference, with both of their starters ranking in the top four in the NESCAC in ERA. They are led by Sophia Dicocco who ranks 1^st in the NESCAC in ERA (0.61), Wins (14), Complete Games (16), Innings pitched (138.2), Fewest Earned Runs (12), and fewest walks (8). Her running mate is Sky Johnson who ranks 4^th in ERA (1.92), t-1^st Wins (14), 2^nd in Complete Games (13), 3^rd in Innings Pitched (102) and 1^st in Strikeouts (113). While the Cardinals post a better overall batting average than the Jumbos (.312-.302) the Jumbos have hit better in NESCAC play, recording a .320 average compared to the Cardinals .288 average. They are led by Josie Steinburg and Michelle Adelman at the plate. Steinburg leads the team in average (.392), hits (51- 1^st NESCAC) and RBI (36- 2^nd NESCAC), while Adelman leads in runs (42- 1^st NESCAC), doubles (11), triples (4- t-2^nd NESCAC), homeruns (4) and stolen bases (15).

 
BOTTOM LINE:
Tufts comes in with one of the best pitching staffs in the country. Their 1-2 punch of Dicocco and Johnson have helped the Jumbos to the 5^th best ERA in the nation (1.27). They will go up against two of the NESCAC's best hitters in Sciarappa (.443) and Collins-Pisano (.429 in NESCAC play). Tufts hitting duo of Steinburg (.392) and Adelman (.355) will have a challenge of their own with Secaira-Cotto, who stuck out 69 batters in 87.1 innings during her first season as a Cardinal.
 
Wesleyan is 5-19 all time against Tufts. They have met seven times in the NESCAC tournament, sporting a 2-5 record against the Jumbos. The Cardinals have dropped nine of their last 10 games against Tufts spanning back to 2008.