MEDFORD, MA (May 12, 2024) -- The Tufts University baseball team played the final two games of the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) Championship Sunday morning and afternoon with the chance of receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Game 6: Tufts 7 Middlebury 3
In game six of the NESCAC Championship finals the Jumbos needed a win to stay alive, so they gave the ball to senior Silas Reed, Reed only threw 52 pitches in game 2 of the tournament. Reed threw 5.2 dominant innings striking out five batters and walking three.
In the top of the first inning, Solomon led off with an infield single and then moved to third on a failed pick-off attempt by the Panthers. Next batter junior Henry Fleckner brought home Solomon on a sac fly that was caught in foul territory to put the Jumbos ahead 1-0. The Jumbos would add another run in the top of the second inning as senior Ozzie Fleischer scored Sophomore on an RBI single up the middle that scored sophomore Jesse McCullough who led off the inning with a single.
The Panthers would add two runs in the bottom of the third on two RBI singles that tied the game at two apiece. Fleckner put the third run on the board for the Jumbos with a solo shot to left field and gave the Jumbos their second lead of the game.
The Panthers would answer Fleckner's homer with a base-hit RBI single to left to even the score again.
The Jumbos would take the lead for good in the top of the sixth as Solomon hit an RBI ground-out scoring Senior John Fritz. In the bottom of the sixth junior Connor Podeszwa was called into relief for Reed. Podeszwa worked into a base-loaded situation and worked out as he struck out the last out of the inning.
The Jumbos would add an insurance run in the top of the eighth and ninth. First senior Johnny Briody scored from third on a throwing error then in the top of the ninth Fritz hit a clutch two-run single to put the Jumbos up 7-3.
The Panthers added one run in the bottom of the ninth but it wouldn't be enough as the Jumbo's defense ended the game with a double play. To advance to the NESCAC Championship, the winner takes all game 7.
The Jumbos recorded six stolen bases in the game as Fleischer had three on the day. The Jumbo's finished with ten hits in the game.
Game 7: Tufts 2 Middlebury 9
Senior Robert Gray got the start for the Jumbos he worked 3.1 innings with three strikeouts. The Panthers got on the board in the top of the first inning on an RBI single to right center.
The Panthers would add another run in the top of the fourth to make the score 2-0, then in the top of the fifth inning, they would open the game up scoring six runs in the inning to make the score 8-0. They would add their ninth run in the top of the sixth inning.
Panthers starter Emmett George pitched seven shutout innings recording three strikeouts allowing four hits.
The Jumbos would get on the board in the bottom of the eighth as sophomore Malcolm Whitfield hit his team leading sixth home run of the season on a 2 RBI long ball to left field. Whitfield's homer would not be enough as Middlebury closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth to win the NESCAC Championship.
Whitfield finished the game 3-4 while Junior Ben Leonard recorded a double for the Jumbos. The Jumbos had six hits on the day.
The Jumbos will now wait for the Division III NCAA selection show on Monday, May 13, to see if they will receive an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA Baseball Tournament.
-JUMBOS-
