MEDFORD, MA (May 10, 2024) -- The Tufts University Baseball team continued playing in the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) tournament today as they played host to Middlebury College at Sol Gittleman Park. The Jumbos, being the NESCAC East two seed in the playoffs were the away team as the Panthers are the number one seed in the NESCAC West.
The Jumbos 22-14 gave the ball to senior Silas Reed, Reed pitched 1.1 innings striking one batter. The Panther offense struck early as they scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Panthers scored two on a Jumbos error then brought the third run home on a single to give them a 3-0 lead. The Jumbos added a run back in the top of the second inning as grad student Connor Flavin drove home junior Cooper Smith with a single up the middle to cut Middlebury's lead to two runs.
The Panthers would blow the game open in the bottom of the second as they scored seven runs making the score 10-1. In the bottom of the second after the Panthers chased Reed senior Hunter Beindorff came into relief and settled the hot Panther offense. Beindorff pitched 4.2 innings, not allowing a run, and striking out two batters throwing 59 pitches.
The Jumbos added two runs in the top of the fifth as junior Henry Fleckner drove in senior Ozzie Fleischer and Smith up the middle to make the score 10-3. The Jumbos would add their fourth run in the top of the sixth as Sophomore Malcolm Whitfield hit a laser down the left field line that scored sophomore Jesse McCullough.
The Panthers would score two more runs to add to their lead, as they scored once in the seventh then again in the eighth to make the score 12-4 and give Middlebury the win.
Flavin finished the game 3-4 with an RBI, and senior Patrick Solomon and Whitfield each had extra-base hits in the game. The Jumbos stole two bases. Owen Tross the Panthers starter pitched a complete game striking out three batters.
The Jumbos will play tomorrow in an elimination game against Amherst College who lost to Colby College in the first game of the day. The first pitch is scheduled for 10:30 A.M.
-JUMBOS-
