MEDFORD, MA (April 1, 2024) - The Tufts University men's baseball team battled Wheaton College which is receiving votes in the national poll. The Jumbos defeated the Lyons 6-4.
The Jumbos (10-7) gave the ball to senior Hunter Beindorff to start the game. The Jumbos used Beindorff as an opener today as they used nine different pitchers on the day. Beindorff pitched an inning of work striking out one batter. The Lyons would get on the board first scoring on a sacrifice fly to right field to give them a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.
The Jumbos would not get on the board until the bottom of the third inning when senior Connor Brala hit a solo homer 370 feet into left field, for Brala that was his second homer of the year. The Jumbos would score again in the bottom of the fourth as senior Patrick Solomon hit an RBI sac fly to center field that scored first-year Malachi Pena to give the Jumbos a 2-1 lead.
The Jumbos would not score again until the bottom of the seventh inning as they exploded for four runs in the inning. The inning started with two walks as the Lyons pitcher walked Solomon and Brala to put two on with no outs, senior Johnny Briody came into pinch run for Brala. Then senior Ozzie Fleischer successfully dropped down a bunt to move the two runners into scoring position. Junior Ben Leonard brought Solomon home on an RBI sac fly to right field, Briody would advance to third.
The Jumbos would get their next three runs of the inning on two-out doubles. Junior Henry Fleckner doubled to left scored Briody and advanced sophomore Jesse McCullough to third, McCullough worked a walk to get on base earlier in the inning. Then Pena stepped to the plate and roped a 2 RBI double to right center that scored both Fleckner and McCullough to take a 6-1 lead over the Lyons.
The Lyons would add two runs in the top of the eighth as Lyons junior Kevin Matos hit a two-run home run to right center. They would add their final run in the ninth to make the score 6-4.
Senior Robert Grey received his second save of the year as he worked 2 innings striking out two batters. Sophomore Charlie Biskupiak received the win as he pitched one inning recording one strikeout.
The Jumbos stole two bases on the day and recorded 8 hits. Pena went 3-4 on the day and improved his batting average to .389 with a 1.110 OPS.
Up next the Jumbos will head to Lewiston Maine to take on NESCAC foe Bates College on Friday, April 5. The first pitch will be at 3 P.M.
-JUMBOS-
