MEDFORD, MA (May 6, 2023) -- No. 23 Tufts University rallied from being down 6-0 in the first inning of game one, earning a 12-6 win in the opening contest of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Quarterfinal series with Amherst College. The Mammoths would post their own rally in game two, coming back late from a 3-0 deficit to pick up an 8-3 win in the nightcap to force a decisive game three on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Game 1: Tufts 12, Amherst 6
Despite falling behind early in the game, the Jumbos refused to roll over as it scored 12 unanswered runs to rally for a 12-6 win in the opening game Saturday. Amherst jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first frame, fueled by a grand slam by Christian Fagnant to cap the scoring in the frame.
Tufts (27-9) came right back with three runs of its own, also using a big blast off the bat of
Jimmy Evans to cut the deficit in half with one swing. Tufts would get three more runs in the fourth inning to tie the game, as
Henry Fleckner and
Ozzie Fleischer executed a solid double steal to give the Jumbos their fourth run.
Jesse McCullough doubled in Fleckner and then scored on a sacrifice fly by
Connor Bowman to tie the game at six.
The Jumbos took their first lead of the game an inning later in the bottom of the fifth, as
Patrick Solomon doubled to start the rally and came around to score on a
Connor Flavin single. Two batters later, McCullough singled to right field to plate Flavin to make it 8-6. The pitching continued to cruise for Tufts after the rocky opening inning, and the Jumbos added on another run in the sixth thanks to a Solomon RBI single.
In the eighth inning, Tufts blew the game open with three more runs and
Aidan Tucker was able to finish off a dazzling performance out of the bullpen to clinch the win. Tucker tossed five innings of scoreless relief, scattering just two hits while fanning five.
Tufts pounded out 13 hits in game one, led by the three from Fleckner. McCullough was 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs and two RBI, while Evans finished 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs and three RBI. Solomon also added two hits and two RBI for the Jumbos in the victory.
Connor Kinney had the one rough frame, but settled down to toss four innings, allowing six hits.
Jack Sampedro was 3-for-4 in the loss for Amherst.
Game 2: Amherst 8, Tufts 3
In game two, Flavin ripped a three-run homer in the fifth inning to break a scoreless game, but Amherst tallied eight unanswered runs from the sixth to the ninth innings to force a Sunday deciding game.
Tufts had the first threat of the game in the bottom of the first, posting three hits but it would leave two runners on in the frame. Amherst rallied in the top of the fifth, but
Silas Reed was able to wiggle out of the bases loaded jam to keep the game 0-0. In the bottom of the fifth,
Ben Leonard singled to start the frame, followed by a walk by Fleischer. With one out, Flavin came up and slammed his fifth homer of the season to give the hosts the lead.
Amherst came back with a run in the top of the sixth, and then added three runs in the seventh take the lead after back-to-back, run-scoring doubles. The Mammoth lead would swell to four with two more runs in the eighth, adding another in the ninth to take an 8-3 edge.
Tufts battled in the ninth, loading the bases but the Jumbos wouldn't be able to get any closer.
Fleckner and Evans were both 2-for-4 in the contest, while McCullough, Leonard and Bowman each had hits as well.
Ryan McIntyre was 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs, and Jackson Reydel added three hits in the win.
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The winner-take-all contest between Amherst and Tufts for a spot in next weekend's NESCAC Championships at Colby will start at 11 a.m. on Sol Gittleman Park Sunday morning in Medford.
--JUMBOS--
