MEDFORD, Mass. - Senior RHP Jordan Stephan (South Orange, N.J.) tossed a six-hitter with five strikeouts but it was was not enough, as the visiting Trinity College Bantams finished on the short end of a 1-0 decision against the Tufts University Jumbos in the opening game of a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) East Division three-game series this afternoon at Spicer Field.  Trinity and No. 24-ranked Tufts fall into a first-place tie in the division with identical 6-1 record with a doubleheader tomorrow at noon up next to close the series.  The Bantams are now 15-9 overall and the Jumbos, who received a two-hit shutout from sophomore Sophia DiCocco, are now 23-9.

DiCocco gave up just a lead-off single to Trinity junior 3B Michaela Russell (Boston, Mass.) in the first inning and a one-out infield single to sophomore Tiffany Stowers (Burk, Va.) in the fifth. She did not walk a batter and struck out four while improving to 10-4.  Russell singled through the left side to start the game, but was caught stealing for just the second time this season in 22 attempts. DiCocco faced the minimum batters through four innings until Stowers' hit in the fifth and pitched 1-2-3 sixth and seventh frames.

Stephan fell to 7-4 despite a great performance in the circle.  Tufts junior shortstop Josie Steinberg dropped a single into shallow center field in the third inning to score the game's only run. Freshman RF Lindsay Neumann had led off with a single and then made it to third on a sacrifice bunt and a fly ball that was deep enough for her to advance.  Tufts' Rachel Moore had hit a one-out double in the first, but Stephan got back-to-back pop-ups to prevent her from scoring. The Jumbos had base runners in every inning, but Stephan kept all bit one from crossing the plate.  Moore had two of Tufts' six hits.

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