CAMBRIDGE, MA (April 5, 2023) -- The Tufts University baseball team exploded for a season-high 20 runs Wednesday afternoon on the road, cruising past host Massachusetts Institute of Technology 20-1 in action from Fran O'Brien Field in non-conference play.
The Jumbos (11-5) have now scored 38 runs in their last two games, as Tufts was fresh off an 18-8 win Sunday afternoon in game two of a three-game weekend sweep of Bates College.
The offense would carry over into Wednesday's affair, scoring in six of the nine innings in the victory. The Jumbos got on the board in the top of the second, putting up five runs in the frame on three hits and an error. The Jumbos loaded the bases with no outs on three straight walks, and
Henry Fleckner doubled in a pair to make it 2-0. Four batters later
Connor Flavin singled in two runs to put the Jumbos up five.
Tufts would add on two more in the top of the third thanks to a pair of RBI ground outs to take a 7-0 edge into the fourth inning. MIT got its lone run in the bottom half of the fourth on a solo homer, but the Jumbos responded with four more runs in the top of the fifth which included another two-run double by Fleckner. Tufts posted two in the sixth, one more in the eight and then scored sixth in the ninth, punctuated by a grand slam by
Todd Stawiecki to put a bow on the victory.
Fleckner finished 3-for-4 with six RBI, three runs scored, three doubles and two stolen bases in the victory, while Flavin added a 2-for-5 contest with two walks and two RBI.
Patrick Solomon went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, while
Ozzie Fleischer reached base five times, going 2-for-3 with a double, three walks and four runs scored. The Jumbos posted 13 hits for the game, but also worked 16 walks and stole seven bases in the victory.
Malcolm Whitfield scored four runs in the contest for Tufts, while
Jesse McCullough came off the bench to walk and score in both of his at bats.
Connor Brala and
John Fritz each had knocks in pinch-hit appearances as well for Tufts, while
Connor Davidson was 1-for-4 with two walks.
The pitching for the Jumbos was equally as stellar on Wednesday, as five hurlers allowed just four hits while striking out 15 Engineer hitters.
Lucas Gustavson started and went four innings, fanning eight and allowing two hits before handing the ball to
Liam Wilson, who worked two spotless innings of relief to get the win.
Gavin Brown struck out two in his scoreless frame, while
Justin Wells also punched out a pair in a 1-2-3 inning.
Jack McLaughlin came in to finish the game, allowing one hit as he blanked MIT. Tufts walked zero batters Wednesday, facing just 32 hitters for the contest compared to the MIT pitchers having to face 58 batters.
The 20 runs were the most in a game since scoring 22 at Middlebury College last May 7, while it was the most in a non-conference regular season game since knocking off Salem State University 30-2 back on April 1, 2019.
The Jumbos will continue their five-game road trip this weekend, traveling to Amherst College April 7 and 8 for New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play against the Mammoths. Friday first-pitch for a single game is set for 3:30 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday at noon.
--JUMBOS--
