Pena Homers Twice as Jumbos Fall to Chapman 6-4

ORANGE, CA (March 20, 2024) -- The Tufts University baseball team continued their stretch of games in California this afternoon as they faced off against Chapman University at W.O. Hart Park in Orange California. The Panthers defeated the Jumbos 6-4 over nine innings of play.

First-year Malachi Pena had a breakout game today, he hit two homers for the Jumbos while collecting four RBIs and going 3-4 on the day. The last time a Jumbo had a multi-home run game was back on April 18, 2022, when Kyle Cortese hit two homers. 

The Jumbos (5-5) gave the ball to first-year Michael O'Brien who pitched two innings on the day and recorded three strikeouts, facing six batters. In the top of the third inning, first-year Matt Hirsch came into relief for O'Brien and struck out the first two batters he faced. The game was scoreless after three innings of play. 

In the top of the fourth inning, sophomore Malcolm Whitfield worked a walk then stole second. Whitfield would be moved to third on an infield single by junior Henry Fleckner. Pena would hit his first homer of the game in the next at-bat as it was a three-run shot to left field to put the Jumbos first on the board 3-0. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Panthers would gain a run back on an RBI double from senior Nick Naccarato. 

The Panthers would add another run in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 3-2. In the top of the sixth Pena would add his second home run of the day, which was a solo shot to left field, to give the Jumbos a 4-2 lead. 

The Panthers would add three runs in the bottom of the sixth to put them atop 5-4. Panthers' grad student Trent Turquand hit a two-run home run in the inning. The Panthers would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 6-4. 

The Panthers shut out the Jumbos in the last three innings of the game. The Jumbo's best chance to tie the game came in the top of the eighth when the score was 5-4, they ended the top of the inning leaving men on second and third. 

The Jumbos recorded five hits on the day. Hirsch ended the day with four punch-outs. The Jumbos also swiped four bases on the day, Whitfield stole his co-team-leading seventh base of the season.  

The Jumbos will have the day off tomorrow and then travel to Whittier California to close out the California trip as they will face off against the Poets three times in two days. The first game will be on Friday, at 3 p.m. local time followed by double-header action Saturday. 

                                                                                                        -JUMBOS-