MEDFORD, MA (May 5, 2023) -- Senior
Jimmy Evans posted a pair of RBI doubles, and added on a run-scoring triple for the Tufts University baseball team Sunday as the Jumbos earned a 12-5 victory in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Quarterfinal series game three in play from Sol Gittleman Park.
With the victory Tufts advances to the NESCAC Tournament next weekend at Colby College, where the Jumbos will take on Bowdoin College at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. Bowdoin advanced to the four-team tournament with a three-game series win over Wesleyan University this weekend. Host Colby College will take on Middlebury College in the other contest Friday afternoon at 6 p.m. after Colby topped Hamilton College and Middlebury knocked off Trinity College Saturday.
Tufts started
Connor Podeszwa set the tone on the mound for the Jumbos, as he retired his first six batters to send the game to the bottom of the second. The Jumbos got on the board first in the second inning, as
Connor Bowman singled and came around to score on a two-out RBI double from
Ozzie Fleischer down the right-field line.
Amherst got the run right back in the top of the third, but a bases loaded walk from
Ben Leonard in the bottom half helped Tufts regain its lead at 2-1. The hosts would double their lead in the bottom of the fourth, as
Henry Fleckner drove in Fleischer with a RBI single through the right side. Fleckner stole second and eventually scored on the first of Evans' two RBI doubles to make it 4-1.
The home team would blow the game open in the bottom of the fifth, as Leonard crushed a solo shot over the Brown Monster in right field to up Tufts lead to 5-1.
Connor Davidson singled, followed by a hit by pitch to
Patrick Solomon, and Fleischer doubled in both runners to take a 7-1 advantage for the Jumbos.
Jesse McCullough ripped a RBI single to right field to push Fleischer in, coming around to score on another Evans' double.
The Mammoths connected on a solo shot in the top of the sixth, but
Connor Flavin ripped a RBI single with two outs in the bottom half to put the Jumbos in double digits. Tufts got two more in the bottom of the seventh to finish its offensive explosion in the victory, hammering out 12 hits in the win.
Evans was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Fleischer added two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored. Leonard reached three times, scoring once and driving in two, and Fleckner was 2-for-5 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Fleckner now leads the team with 25 stolen bases in 26 attempts.
Podeszwa was sensational in a must-win game, as he went eight strong innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs as he struck out six batters. Podeszwa moved to 5-3 on the season.
Jack Sampedro was 3-for-5 with two RBI and a homer for the Mammoths, and Javier Irzarry also went 2-for-3 with a walk.
For more information about next weekend's NESCAC Championships, click
HERE for the Tournament Website.
--JUMBOS--
