NEEDHAM, MA (April 17, 2024) -- The Tufts University baseball team had a non-conference tilt against Babson College Wednesday afternoon at Govani Field in Needham MA.
The Jumbos (13-14) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, senior Patrick Solomon started the game working a walk to get on base. Solomon found his way two third as junior Henry Fleckner was hit by a pitch and sophomore Jesse McCullough worked a walk. First year Malachi Pena stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and was able to bring Solomon home on a sac fly to right field to give the Jumbos a 1-0 lead.
The Jumbos gave the ball to first-year Michael O'Brien, O'Brien pitched 1.2 innings in his outing. The Beavers answered the Jumbo's run in the top half of the first with a run of their own in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one run apiece. The Jumbos would take the lead in the top of the second as they added another run as Fleckner scored junior Cooper Smith on an RBI infield single to make the score 2-1.
The Beavers responded to the Jumbos in the bottom half of the inning by scoring three runs then answered right back in the bottom of the third crossing the plate five times to make the score 9-2.
The Jumbos slowly picked away at the score as they added two runs in the top of the fourth, Fleckner added another RBI single to score junior Ben Leonard who worked a leadoff walk to begin the inning. Then senior Ozzie Fleischer scored from third base on a wild pitch to make the score 9-4, Fleischer got on base with a single earlier in the inning.
The Jumbos would add another run in the top of the fifth this time on first-year AJ Lysko sent a long drive to right field for his second homer of the season to make the score 9-5. The Beavers in the bottom of the inning scored a run to push their lead to 10-5.
First-year Grant Strother came into work with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. He struck out his lone batter faced in the bottom of the fifth to leave the Beavers with the bases loaded. Strother pitched great in his 2.2 innings pitched as he struck out four batters allowing zero walks and four hits.
The Jumbos would bring their deficit within three runs in the top of the sixth as Pena scored Fleckner and Lysko added his second RBI of the day as he roped a single to center scoring McCullough to make the score 10-7.
The Jumbos or Beavers didn't score a run in the remaining three innings. The Jumbo's best chance to tie the game came in the ninth inning as they left the bases loaded to end the game.
Sophomore Cole Donato got an inning of work and fellow sophomore Charlie Biskupiak also came into the game for some relief pitching. On the day the Jumbos recorded nine hits with two errors. Lysko, Smith, and Fleischer all swiped a base on the day and McCullough added an extra-base hit.
The Jumbos will start their last New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) series Friday at home at Sol Gittleman Park on Friday, April 19, as they will start a three-game set against NESCAC foe Trinity College.
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