Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
MEDFORD - A two-run double by junior 1B Tom Howard (Rockville Centre, NY) highlighted a six-run first inning in game one, and senior pitcher Kevin Gilchrist (Medford, MA) threw a shutout in game two as the Tufts baseball team swept a double-header against Middlebury College on Sunday afternoon at Huskins Field. Scores of the two seven-inning games were 6-4 and 6-0.
The double-header was the 2012 finale for both squads. Tufts finished at 22-12, while Middlebury ended the year with a 14-19 record.
Four of Tufts' six runs in the first frame of game one were unearned. During the inning, sophomore 2B Tim Mitropoulos (Winchester, MA) doubled and scored, sophomore LF Nate Izzo (Saunderstown, RI) singled home a run and scored and Howard also scored after his two-run double. Twelve Jumbos batters went to the plate in the inning.
That was plenty to work with for Jumbo starter Dave Ryan (Trumbull, CT), one of five seniors recognized before the game. He surrendered a lead-off home run to Panther senior catcher Zach Roeder (Keene, NH) in the second. Roeder then hit a one-out single and scored on a fielder's choice by senior SS Will Baine (Rye, NY) in the fourth making it 6-2.
Middlebury junior reliever Tyler Buckingham (Montclair, NJ) shut down the Jumbos after their fast start. He went 5.1 innings allowing just two hits and no runs. Only two Tufts batters reached second against him, including a lead-off double in the third by junior RF Eric Weikert (Avondale Estates, GA) whom Buckingham stranded.
The Panthers rallied to within 6-4 in the seventh. Junior RF Thomas Driscoll (New Canaan, CT) hit a two-run single that chased Ryan. With the potential tying run on first, Jumbo sophomore reliever Dean Lambert (Cross River, NY) got a strikeout to end the game and get a save.
Ryan earned his sixth win, pitching 6.2 innings allowing six hits and four runs with six strikeouts in his final collegiate start.
Roeder was 2 for 3 with two runs and an rbi for Middlebury.
Game two belonged to Gilchrist, also making his final start. He struck out five and did not walk a batter while allowing six hits. The Panthers had bases loaded against him in the fourth, but he got a groundball double-play to end the threat. Otherwise, only one batter touched second against him.
Tufts again struck early, scoring all six of its runs in the first three innings. Senior 1B Matt Collins (Hopkinton, MA) doubled with two outs in the first and scored on Weikert's single. Senior SS Sam Sager (Cranston, RI) smacked a two-run double in the second. Sophomore DH Max Freccia (Stamford, CT) doubled home a run and scored in a three-run third.
Freshman CF Connor McDavitt (Holden, MA) finished game two 2 for 3 with a run and an rbi for the Jumbos.
Senior Dirk Van Duym (Madison, WI) also had a good relief outing for Middlebury. He pitched 3.2 innings allowing just one hit and no runs. Junior 3B Thomas Rafferty (Chicago, IL) and senior LF Matt Wassel (Rumson, NJ) each had two of Middlebury's six game-two hits.
Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score
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