MEDFORD, MA (April 20, 2024) -- On a day when the Tufts University men's baseball team dedicated their home field Sol Gittleman Park to Sol Gittleman, the Jumbos completed their sweep of Trinity College to close out New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action this season as they improved to 7-5 in the division.
Game 1: Jumbos 5 Bantams 4
The Jumbos (15-13) gave the ball in game one to grad student Gavin Brown, Brown went six strong innings striking out four batters only walking one on 95 pitched thrown. The Bantams got out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings, as they scored one in the first and two in the second inning.
The Jumbos would gain a run on the Bantams in the bottom of the third inning as Sophomore Jesse McCullough scored junior Henry Fleckner on an infield single to shortstop to make the score 3-1. Brown settled down after the first few innings and was on a roll as he retired the side in a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third then breezed by the Bantams in the fourth and fifth innings.
The Bantams would extend their lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth inning.
The Jumbos answered back in the bottom of the sixth inning with a four-run inning to put them in the lead for good. In the bottom of the sixth the scoring started with a sac fly by grad student Connor Flavin that scored junior Cooper Smith to cut the Bantam's lead in half. Fleckner would eventually bring home sophomore Malcolm Whitfield on an RBI infield single. Then with two outs and two runners on first year Malachi Pena delivered to give the Jumbos their first lead of the day as the score was now 5-4 in favor of the Jumbos.
Senior closer Robert Gray was called upon in the top of the seventh to try to secure his second save in two days. Grays first batter walked, then he forced a fly out to Pena for the first out. With a man on first, the Bantams attempted to steal on catcher Whitfield but he threw down the runner for the second out of the inning. Gray struck out his last batter faced to secure the win for the Jumbos and his fourth save of the year.
Brown received the win on the day as his record on the year is 3-2. The Jumbos stole four bases on the day including Senior Patrick Solomon and Whitfield swiped their tenth base of the season and Fleckner stole his team-leading thirteenth base of the season, Pena was also successful in swiping a bag. The Jumbos had five hits in game one.
Game 2: Jumbos 2 Bantams 1
Game two started with the Jumbos (16-13) giving the ball to junior Jacob Lapp to start the nine-inning match-up. Lapp went 6.1 innings ringing up two batters throwing 88 pitches.
The first four innings of the game was a pitching duel as the Jumbos only had four hits in the four innings.
The Jumbos would strike first in the bottom of the fifth inning as Whitfield sent a long drive to left field to put the Jumbos up 1-0. Whitfields blast is his team-leading fifth of the season. Later in the inning, Pena would strike with an RBI single to left that scored Solomon to give the Jumbos a 2-0 lead. In the top of the sixth inning, the Bantams got on the board with a home run of their own to cut their deficit in half.
Junior Connor Podeszwa came into the game with one out in the top of the seventh inning. Podeszwa pitched 2.2 scoreless innings striking out one batter and allowing one hit.
In the top of the eighth Podeszwa retired the Bantams in order. In the top of the ninth with the Jumbos up one run and a Bantam in scoring position Podeszwa forced a fly out to right and the Bantam on second left early so the Jumbos stepped on second for a game-ending double play.
Senior Ozzie Fleischer went 1-2 on the day with three defensive assists Whitfield stole two more bases, and Solomon also added a steal on the day. Pena and Whitfield both went 2-3 on the day.
Up next for the Jumbos they will travel to Nortan MA, on Wednesday, April 24, to take on Wheaton College in non-conference action. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 P.M.
-JUMBOS-
