Podeszwa's Heroic Start Powers Tufts to Doubleheader Split with Bowdoin

MEDFORD, MA (April 11, 2025) - The Tufts University baseball team experienced a tale of two games in the New England Small College Athletic Conference doubleheader as they split the pair with Bowdoin on Friday at Sol Gittleman.

The Jumbos (11-13, 3-2 NESCAC EAST) were slow to get started against the Polar Bears (20-5, 6-2 NESCAC EAST) in game one. Their slow start at the plate was not helped by the three runs plated by Bowdoin in the first three innings. Rookie James Henshon was the hot bat on a quiet day for the offense, knocking a double off the wall for the only extra base hit for Tufts in game one.

The Jumbos dropped the opener of the doubleheader 8-0, with Silas Reed being charged with the losing decision. Game two was a fresh slate for the Jumbos, and behind the efforts of Connor Podeszwa they would make the most of the opportunity. 

They flipped the script in the first inning to strike first, after Ben Leonard reached with a walk. Henshon moved him all the way to third with his second double of the day. Cooper Smith brought him home with an RBI groundout and the Jumbos were off to a 1-0 lead. 

Two more runs came across for Tufts in the bottom of the second. Henshon and Smith reached on a walk and hit by pitch respectively, setting the table for Max Pavlik to score them both with a long single to right field. 

Smith got in on the fun with an arcing home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth to score Henshon, who had reached with his third double of the day. Tufts was in a commanding 5-0 lead after four innings. 

Leonard made it a sixth with a line drive homer in the sixth, defying the cold, windy conditions of Sol Gittleman to pound his third big fly of the season over the wall. Tufts now led 6-0.

Behind the run support, Podeszwa was pitching yet another gem. The senior starter dazzled through eighth complete innings of work. His performance was incredibly efficient as he closed out the eighth with his 97th pitch of the evening. It was a night to remember for Podeszwa, who retired 14 straight Polar Bears to make it 7.1 innings of hitless baseball. Unfortunately for him, the nearly-historic night was spoiled by a trio of singles in the eighth to plate 2 runs. 

Rookie Derek Desmarais came out to pitch the ninth, and pitched around a leadoff single to retire the side and secure the 6-2 win in game two for the Jumbos.

Tufts will play in the series decider on Sunday after a day off tomorrow due to rain. The rubber match will also feature senior day celebrations honoring the graduating Jumbos prior to first pitch at 2:00 pm.