Superko Strikes Out 13 in Baseball's 4-3 NESCAC East Victory at Bowdoin

Recap courtesy of Bowdoin College

BRUNSWICK, ME - Tim Superko tossed eight strong innings, striking out 13, and the Tufts University baseball team held off a late Bowdoin rally to earn a 4-3 win in the opener of a three-game NESCAC East Division series between the teams on Friday afternoon.

Cody McCallum had an rbi and scored a run for Tufts

The Jumbos remain unbeaten in conference play (24-5, 9-0 NESCAC) while the Polar Bears (19-11, 3-7 NESCAC) see their seven-game winning streak snapped.

Tufts loaded the bases against Bowdoin starter Harry Ridge (4-3) in the fourth inning and were able to scrape across two runs on a Mike McLaughlin hit-by-pitch and a Kevin Godin sacrifice fly to take a 2-0 lead.

Bowdoin got one back in the bottom of the frame when Brandon Lopez doubled to lead off the inning and came home on a Chris Nadeau RBI single.

The Jumbos responded in the top of the fifth, loading the bases again and scoring twice on a Tommy O'Hara single to left. Ridge escaped further damage by striking out the final two batters of the frame to keep the deficit at 4-1.

Superko did not allow a hit after Nadeau's run-scoring single until the eighth when Bowdoin put runners on first and third with one out. Peter Cimini lofted a double to right that glanced off the glove of Tufts right fielder Oscar Kutch and scored both Nick Sadler and Chad Martin to cut the lead to 4-3. Superko was able to retire Nadeau for the final out of the inning to maintain the one-run lead.

Bowdoin again threatened in the ninth inning against Tufts closer Ian Kinney. With runners on first and third with one away, Kinney was able to induce a foul popout and, after a walk to load the bases, struck out Lopez looking to end the game

Superko (3-0) went eight innings, permitting six hits and two walks with two earned runs to go with his 13 strikeouts. Kinney netted his third save of the season by working the ninth. Harry Brown and Tommy O'Hara each had two hits for the Jumbos

Ridge went 5.2 frames, allowing seven hits and three earned runs with five strikeouts. Harry Brown and O'Hara each had two hits for the Jumbos. Bowdoin got a strong relief effort from Duncan Finigan, Connor Rooney, Ben Osterholtz and Kyle Stanley, who combined to allow no runs and just two Tufts base runners over the final 3.1 innings. Eight different players had hits for Bowdoin in the loss.

The teams will return to Pickard Field tomorrow for a double-header beginning at noon.

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