Box Score
MEDFORD - The Bowdoin College baseball team shut out Tufts, 4-0, in the opener of Saturday's twinbill at Huskins Field, clinching a bid to the 2013 NESCAC Baseball Tournament. Though Tufts won the nightcap 6-1, the earlier loss eliminated the Jumbos from the NESCAC Tournament field.
The Polar Bears (22-11, 8-4 NESCAC) qualify as the second seed out of the NESCAC's East Division and will open the NESCAC Tournament on Friday, May 10 at the NESCAC West Division's top seed, Wesleyan. Tufts (21-11, 7-5 NESCAC) needed a sweep of its weekend series with the Polar Bears to earn a spot in the tourney.
Southpaw Christian Martin was the story in game one, as Bowdoin's starter did not allow a hit until the fifth inning and finished his 5.2 innings of work allowing just two singles, with seven strikeouts and no earned runs.
The game was scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Polar Bears broke through on a run-scoring single from Tim McGarry that scored Kyle LeBlanc to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Bowdoin tacked on three runs in the sixth frame with rbi singles from Sam Canales and Duncan Taylor, and a double-steal of home by Canales to make it a 4-0 game.
Henry Van Zant worked out of a jam in the sixth and closed out the game by striking out the side in the seventh to seal the win. Tufts loaded the bases with two outs with a single from senior LF Nate Izzo (Saunderstown, RI) sandwiched between walks to freshman 1B Mike Barry (Sudbury, MA) and junior catcher Nick Cutsumpas (White Plains, NY). However, a ground out ended the threat.
Jumbo sophomore starter Kyle Slinger (Danville, CA) was nearly Martin's equal for five innings, allowing six hits and oen run.
Tufts starter Christian Sbily (Gaithersburg, MD) stymied the Bowdoin bats in game two, tossing a complete game and allowing one earned run on six hits with nine strikeouts.
Dan Findley doubled to open the fourth inning and eventually came around to score on a Canales groundout to give Bowdoin an early 1-0 edge. But Tufts answered with two runs in the seventh to take the lead. Junior 2B Tim Mitropoulos (Winchester, MA) laced an rbi single and then came around to score on a groundout later in the frame to give the hosts a 2-1 edge.
The Jumbos scored four runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach, with the big blow coming on a two-run single by sophomore CF Connor McDavitt (Holden, MA).
Drew LoRusso took the loss in relief for Bowdoin. Starter Erik Jacobsen tossed five strong innings of no-hit ball before giving way to the bullpen
Tufts will return to action on Monday at Eastern Connecticut. The Polar Bears will play a Tuesday non-conference game at Southern Maine.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
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