Box Score LYNCHBURG, VA - An eight-run fifth inning broke open the game for the Tufts baseball team in a 17-3 victory at Lynchburg College on Friday.
The Jumbos already led 5-2 before the fifth. In that inning they received rbi singles from Mike McLaughlin and Cody McCallum. Harry Brown and Eric Schnepf both earned bases-loaded walks to score runs. The big blow was a three-run error on a ball hit by Christian Zazzali to center field. He then scored on a ground out by Dan Kelly making it 13-2.
Tufts had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Sophomore 3B Tommy O'Hara plated the first run with a single to center and McLaughlin's base hit to right scored the other. The hosts cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning as Drew Taylor scored on an rbi groundout from Nathan Sharp.
Tufts added another run in the second as McCallum led off with a double and scored on a double-play ball. Two more Jumbo runs in the fifth gave them a 5-1 advantage. McLaughlin led off with a single and eventually scored on Brown's base hit. Brown later scored on an error as Lynchburg was attempting a double play. They made four miscues in the game.
Tanner Fulton drove in Sharp for Lynchburg's second run in the fourth inning. However, the Jumbos exploded in the fifth to pull away. They added two more in the seventh including an rbi double by O'Hara. Brendan Cleary grounded out in the eighth to bring home Tyler Johnson for Lynchburg, while Tufts finished the scoring with another in the ninth on an Oscar Kutch single.
Tufts (5-3) earned its third win in the last four games. Senior starter Andrew David took advantage of the run support, cruising to the win allowing six hits and two runs (one earned) with five strikeouts and two walks. Rory Ziomek pitched a scoreless ninth.
Brown was 4 for 5 with two runs and two rbis, while McLaughlin finished 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two rbis. McCallum scored three times while going 2 for 3 with an rbi. O'Hara and Moser both had three hits with O'Hara driving home two runs and Moser scoring twice. Zazzali drove home two and senior Kevin Godin scored two runs. Tufts drew 10 walks, including three by McCallum.
Jonathan Munn had a hit and a walk for Lynchburg, who finished with six hits.
Tufts plays at Apprentice School in a single game at 1 pm tomorrow. The Hornets (7-16) travel to Virginia Wesleyan College Saturday for an Old Dominion Athletic Conference double-header at noon.
Parts of recap courtesy of Lynchburg College
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