CLAREMONT, CA (March 18, 2023) -- The Tufts University baseball team stayed undefeated Saturday afternoon in the opener of their West Coast trip, scoring four runs in the third inning to propel the Jumbos to a 6-3 non-conference victory over Pomona-Pitzer in action from Alumni Field.
The Jumbos played on the road for the first time in 2023 on Saturday, and got on the board first in the top of the second as
Jackson Duffy plated
Connor Bowman with a sacrifice fly to left field to open the scoring.
The big inning for the Jumbos came in the top of the third, as Tufts (4-0) pushed across four runs to take a 5-0 lead.
Ben Leonard tripled to start the stanza, and
Patrick Solomon singled in Leonard to make the score 2-0. Solomon would come around on his own, stealing second and third before an errant throw sailed into left field which allowed Solomon to score.
The Jumbos rally continued as
Jimmy Evans walked, followed by a Bowman single in which Evans hustled around to third just in front of the throw from left.
Connor Davidson would make the hustle worth it, as he scored Evans with a sacrifice fly. On the next batter, Bowman would come around to score after a throwing error that extended the inning.
That would be plenty of offense for the Jumbos, as Jumbo starter
Connor Kinney allowed just one runner over the next four innings to maintain the five-run edge for the Jumbos. In the top of the seventh, Solomon would be at it again, as he tripled to scored Leonard who had walked with two outs.
PP (8-11) wouldn't go away though, getting three runs in the bottom of the seventh highlighted by a William Kinney two-run single. That would be the last of the scoring though, as
Brendan McFall came in and worked a pair of scoreless innings to record his first save of the year.
Davidson finished 2-for-3 with a RBI, while Solomon was 2-for-5 with two RBI, two stolen bases and a run scored. Evans was 1-for-3 with a run and walk, while Bowman scored twice as well to go with a stolen base.
Kinney turned in a very strong start or the Jumbos, as he went 6.1 innings while scattering four hits and allowing just one earned run. Kinney also struck out five and walked only one.
Jack Schwartz worked 0.2 innings of relief, allowing only one hit, and McFall finished with two scoreless frames as he fanned three Sagehen batters.
Nate Jakobs finished 3-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk for Pomona-Pitzer, while Caleb Millikan was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Jumbos and Sagehens will be back at it Sunday for a non-conference twinbill at noon local time in California.
--JUMBOS--
