AMHERST, MA (April 10, 2026) – The Tufts University baseball team put up seven runs through the first three innings against Amherst College to register a 10-5 victory in an out-of-division NESCAC clash on the road in cold and cloudy conditions.
The Jumbos (17-5, NESCAC 3-3), started
Cole Donato on the mound for his sixth start of the season. The senior continued his standout season by earning his fifth win of the spring in 7.0 innings of action. Donato allowed just one earned run on five hits, while striking out one Mammoth batter. After allowing a run in the opening inning, the Walpole native held Amherst scoreless on three hits through the rest of his outing.
The Jumbos broke open the scoring with two runs in the top of the first to take and early 2-0 advantage.
Jack Kamin reached first base on a single through the left side of the infield.
Tate Bannish's bat has not cooled off at all as he followed with his team-leading fourth home run of the year over the left center field fence.
Amherst responded quickly with a run in the bottom of the same inning to make it 2-1. With two outs Tyler McCord singled to the shortstop and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt by Donato. McCord then advanced to third on a wild pitch and crossed home on an RBI double from Charlie LaFreniere.
Tufts put two more runs on the board in the top of the second inning to push the difference to three.
Max Pavlik led off with a single up the middle and advanced to third after
Tom Pender doubled to left center field.
Caden Abraham then walked to load the bases, and
Jesse McCullough hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field to advance Pender to third and bring home Pavlik.
James Henshon plated Pender from third after reaching first on a fielder's choice that saw Abraham out at second.
For the third consecutive frame the Jumbos brought runners in to score. Pender launched his second double of the contest to score
Owen McKiernan and
Malcolm Whitfield for the first two runs of the innings. McCullough collected his second RBI of the game with a single up the middle to help Pender reach home from third to make it 7-1.
The Jumbos posted a run in both the seventh and eighth innings to extend their advantage to nine.
The Mammoths showed some fight and brought four base runner's home in the bottom the eighth, after
Max Williams relieved Donato, to diminish their deficit to seven. Jack Darcy scored Zander Carnahan and Leo Foust with a single into left field.
Lachlan Ellis replaced Williams in the same frame in attempt to escape the jam. Ellis struggled too as he allowed a run on one hit, while also walking three batters.
Mitchell Hwang finished off the inning with a strike out to end the Amherst attack.
Hwang capped off his appearance with two looking strikeouts and no runs allowed on one hit to keep the Mammoths off the scoreboard in the final inning.
Pender had a fantastic day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and four runs scored.
The Jumbos return to play against Amherst College tomorrow at noon for doubleheader action.
--JUMBOS--
