Box Score 
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Tufts University baseball team continued their undefeated start to their spring trip on Wednesday afternoon edging the Methodist University Monarchs 9-8.
Tufts totaled 15 hits in the game and Jimmy Evans found success at the plate, going 4 for 5 with an rbi. Ozzie Fleischer (pictured) went 2 for 5 with two runs scored and an rbi and Ryan Noone finished 3 for 5 at the plate with two rbis. Kyle Cortese and Connor Bowman each had two hits for the Jumbos, with Cortese finishing 2 for 3 with a run scored and Bowman going 2 for 4 with a home run. Jacob Austin led the Monarchs' offense with four hits in four at bats along with two runs scored and three rbis.
The Jumbos struck first in the third inning on an Evans rbi double down the right field line to score Fleischer who reached on an error. The Monarchs answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead. After Caleb Greene doubled to the right-center gap and advanced to third on a passed ball, Austin doubled to center to score Greene. Wesley Hall singled to drive in Austin later in the inning.
Bowman smashed a solo home run in the fourth inning for the Jumbos to tie the game at two before Tufts added on two more runs in the top of the fifth. Miles Reid, Peter DeMaria and Cortese were all hit by pitches in consecutive at bats to load the bases, and Noone singled to left-center, scoring Reid. DeMaria scored when the Monarchs turned a double play and the Jumbos took the 4-2 lead heading into the bottom half of the fifth. Methodist's Austin led off the fifth with a single and Spencer Nelson doubled to right-center in the next at bat. A Hall ground out to second base and a Stancil Bowles sacrifice fly to left field scored Austin and Nelson to tie the game back up.
Tufts tacked on one run in both the sixth and seventh innings. They scored their only run of the sixth inning on a DeMaria fieder's choice to score Fleischer after he was hit by a pitch. A Patrick Solomon sacrifice fly to center field scored Ben Leonard in the seventh inning after Leonard singled up the middle. Methodist got one run back in the bottom of the seventh when Greene singled and scored on a ground ball double play.
Both teams had three-run eighth innings and Tufts got it started with a Noone rbi single to score Cortese after he doubled to lead off the inning. Henry Fleckner pinch ran for Noone and Solomon would eventually drive Fleckner in on a sacrifice fly to right field with Fleischer driving in John Fritz later in the inning, singling through the left side of the infield. The Monarchs' Justin Blunt reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom half of the inning and scored later in the inning on the throw when Will Dagenhart stole second base. After Greene walked on the next at bat, Austin hit a two-rbi double to right-center to score both Dagenhart and Greene to make it 9-8.
Jack Schwartz came in for the save in the ninth for the Jumbos, not allowing any hits or runs to clinch the 9-8 victory. Junior Michael Volgende got the start and win for Tufts, pitching seven innings and allowing eight hits and four earned runs with six strike outs. The Monarchs used nine total pitchers in the game, with Brandon Humphreys getting credited with the loss, throwing two innings and allowing three hits for one run.
Next up, the Jumbos will travel to Washington and Lee University for another spring trip matchup on Thursday, March 24th at 3 pm.
Written by Tim O'Brien, Athletic Communications Intern
