WATERVILLE, ME (April 29, 2023) -- The Tufts University baseball team saw its 13-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, dropping game one to host Colby College 4-3, but rebounded to secure the series win with a 2-1 game two victory in action from Coombs Field. With the split, Tufts moved to 11-1 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and will play the No. 4 seed on the NESCAC West side next Saturday and Sunday at times to be determined.
Game 1: Colby 4, Tufts 3
The Jumbos took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh in the opening game of the day, but the host Mules (21-10) were able to plate a pair of runs including pushing the game-winning run across on an error to secure the victory.
Colby took the lead in the first inning on a RBI groundout, but the Jumbos came right back in the top half of the third inning with a run to tie the game.
Jackson Duffy walked to start the rally, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Patrick Solomon.
Henry Fleckner would bring around Duffy with a RBI single up the middle with two outs.
The Mules responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the third, putting three singles together to pull ahead by a run. The game would remain a 2-1 Colby lead until the top of the sixth when
Connor Bowman singled in
Jimmy Evans to deadlock the game at two after a one-out double by Evans.
Tufts took its first lead of the game in the top of the seventh, as
John Fritz reached on an error, moved to second on a pick-off attempt and stole third. On the stolen base attempt, the throw sailed into left field and Fritz came around to score to put Tufts on top.
In the bottom of the seventh, Colby would rally with two runs, tying the game on a sacrifice fly before scoring the walk-off run a batter later.
Jesse McCullough added another multi-hit game for the Jumbos, going 2-for-4 for his sixth game with two or more hits in his last seven. Fleckner finished 1-for-4, while Evans was 1-for-3 with his double and run scored.
Connor Podeszwa went three innings in the start, allowing two earned runs and five hits before handing the ball to
Cameron Mayer. Mayer tossed three innings of two hit, scoreless relief, fanning two batters to keep the Jumbos in the contest.
Game 2: Tufts 2, Colby 1
The Tufts pitching continued to dominate on Saturday, as
Silas Reed and
Aidan Tucker combined to allow only five hits through nine innings to earn the victory. The pair struck out 11 on the afternoon, allowing just one earned run.
The game was scoreless through the first five innings, as only six combined base runners reached during that span. Tufts pushed across the contest's first run in the top of the sixth, as McCullough walked and came around to score on a ringing RBI double from Evans down the line. Tufts added on to its lead in the top of the eight, as
Ozzie Fleischer singled to start the frame, moving to second on a Fleckner sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Evans chalked up another RBI with a run-scoring single to right field to push Fleischer across.
Colby got the run right back with a solo homer in the bottom of the eight, but Tucker worked around a lead-off single in the ninth to pick up the victory. Evans was 2-for-4 with both Tufts' RBI in the game finishing with 97 career hits after the contest, while Fleischer also added two hits in four at-bats.
Connor Davidson also doubled for the Jumbos, and
Malcolm Whitfield and Fleckner each stole bases in the win.
Reed went seven innings, allowing just three hits while sitting down eight Mule hitters by strikeout. Tucker allowed two hits and one earned run, striking out three over his two innings of work.
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Tufts will return home for its final regular season game of 2023, entertaining No. 5 Endicott College in non-conference play Wednesday on Sol Gittleman Park at 7 p.m.
--JUMBOS--
