Box Score
MEDFORD - Junior pitcher Kyle Slinger went eight innings allowing one run to improve to 7-0 as the #15 Tufts baseball team opened a three-game NESCAC East Division weekend series against Colby College with a 10-1 victory on Friday afternoon at Huskins Field.
Sophomore shortstop Matt Moser had four runs batted in and senior DH Max Freccia went 2 for 3 with two rbis and two runs as the Jumbos improved to 21-2 overall. They are now 4-1 atop the NESCAC East.
Colby, which scored its lone run in the first inning, fell to 13-7 overall and 4-3 in the division.
Slinger went against Mules junior Scott Goldberg in a match-up between two of NESCAC's top pitchers this spring. Only two of the seven runs Tufts scored against Goldberg were earned, as he went six innings allowing six hits with five walks and four strikeouts.
The Mules would score with two outs in the first. Junior LF Jason Buco walked, senior Alec Finigan followed with a single up the middle sending Buco to second and he scored on another single up the middle by sophomore 1B Daniel Csaplar.
A strikeout to end the first inning began a stretch of 14 straight Mules retired by Slinger into the sixth. Colby would put runners on first and second against him in the sixth on an error and Buco single, but a 4-6-3 double-play negated the threat.
Slinger faced the same scenario in the eighth, but got out of it unscathed. He gave up five hits and two walks with six strikeouts overall.
The Jumbos had taken the lead in the third with a pair of runs after two were out. Freshman 2B Tom Petry drew a lead-off walk and junior CF Connor McDavitt followed with a bunt single. Junior RF James Howard moved both runners along with a bunt, but a ground out to first was the second out. However, Freccia delievered a two-run double to right making it 2-1 Jumbos.
Tufts would break it open with five unearned runs in the fifth to lead 7-1. Sophomore 1B Mike Barry singled home a run and scored in the frame, Moser had his first rbi with a sac fly and senior catcher Nick Cutsumpas smacked a two-run double to right center.
Moser smoked a bases-loaded double to left-center clearing the bags in the seventh to finish the scoring.
In addition to Freccia and Moser offensively, McDavitt was 2 for 3 with two runs at the top of the Tufts order, senior 3B Wade Hauser and Barry scored twice and Cutsumpas finished 2 for 4 with the two rbis. The Jumbos out-hit Colby 11-7.
No one on the Mules had more than one hit. Finigan came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings.
The teams will play a double-header at Huskins tomorrow starting at noon.
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