Box Score
MEDFORD - Senior 1B Gavin Lavallee hit a two-run double in the top of the eighth inning which lifted the #25 Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team to a 6-5 win at #13 Tufts on Monday afternoon at Huskins Field.
Tufts had come back from a 4-1 deficit to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh led by a two-run triple from senior 3B Wade Hauser. However, a Tufts error that led off the eighth and singles by seniors Nik Ververis and Adam Roderick set the table for Lavallee in the next half inning.
The Warriors, led by Lavallee's three rbis overall, improved to 24-7. Tufts, which scored four of its five runs unearned, dropped to 27-4.
The Jumbos had taken an early 1-0 advantage when catcher Nick Cutsumpas, one of six players honored on Seniors Day, led off with a double. After taking third on a ground out, he scored on a passed ball.
Ververis, Roderick and Lavallee sparked a two-out Eastern rally which gave the visitors a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Ververis singled and stole second. He scored on a double down the left-field line by Roderick, who then came home on a single by Lavallee.
A lead-off double by senior SS Brendan Lynch led to two more Warriors runs in the sixth after two were out. Lynch scored on a two-out double by junior 3B Brendan Germano, then senior 2B Mike Vaccarelli had an rbi base hit for a 4-1 Eastern advantage. Germano was thrown out trying to score on the play.
Eastern starter Brent Pelella had allowed just the one unearned run through five. However, Tufts began its comeback with a lead-off double by junior CF Connor McDavitt in the sixth. He took third on Hauser's bunt single, then scored on a sac fly by sophomore SS Matt Moser cutting the margin to 4-2.
Tufts would score three unearned in the seventh off reliever Pat Barnett to take a 5-4 lead. Singles by Cutsumpas and freshman 2B Tom Petry lit the fire. An Eastern error allowed a run to score and led to Hauser's go-ahead two-run triple.
After Eastern scored its pair in the eighth, Barnett would finish off the Jumbos to get the win and improve to 5-0. He allowed three hits and no earned runs in 3.2 innings. Lavallee led the Warriors at 3 for 3 with the three rbis and a run. Lynch and Ververis both finished 2 for 5 with two runs, while Roderick was 2 for 4 with a run and an rbi.
Sophomore Andrew David took the loss in relief for the Jumbos. Cutsumpas stayed hot with a 2 for 4 game and two runs. Hauser finished 2 for 4 with two rbis and McDavitt was 2 for 5 with a run at the top. Freshman Speros Varinos pitched two innings of scorless relief for the Jumbos.
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