LEWISTON, ME (April 17, 2026) – The Tufts University baseball team was scorching hot at the plate and capitalized on defensive errors to fuel a 12-2 victory over Bates College in NESCAC action this afternoon in sunny conditions at Leahey Field.
The Jumbos (19-8, 4-3 NESCAC), started with
Cole Donato on the bump to open the game for his seventh appearance of the spring. The successful senior starter held the Bobcats scoreless and hitless through the first three innings of action, fanning two batters as well. Donato earned his sixth win of the season with three strikeouts and two earned runs allowed on 4 hits in 7.0 innings pitched in a complete game.
In the bottom of the fourth frame,
Jack Kamin flashed his defensive talent and kept Bates off the board to leave the game deadlocked at zero with a diving catch in right field with runners on first and second base.
Tufts put the first runs of the contest across the plate to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
Jesse McCullough led off by reaching first and advancing to second on an error from the Bobcats' pitcher.
James Henshon captured his second his of the game and score McCullough with an RBI double to right center field. Henshon then advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored after Kamin hit a sacrifice fly ball to center field.
The Jumbos improved their advantage to six in the following inning with four more runs.
Tom Pender reached first on another error from the Bates' defense.
AJ Lysko pushed Pender 90 feet away with a sacrifice bunt before
Owen McKiernan brought him home with a single into center field.
Cole Bohane came in to pinch hit for
Max Pavlik and blasted his second home run of the year to tack on two more.
Bates broke through Donato's commanding day with two runs in the bottom of the sixth frame to cut their deficit to four. Keagan Ryan was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and crossed home after an RBI double into left center field from Jack Margiloff. David Swift then plated Margiloff from third with a sacrifice fly ball to center field.
For the third straight inning the Jumbo bats stayed hot with six runs in the top of the seventh to make it 12-2. Bohane highlighted the inning with a three-run shot for his second home run of the game to guide Tufts to a 10-run cushion.
McKiernan (4-for-4) and Bohane (2-for-2) each had perfect days at the plate in the victory, while Donato took the sole lead for wins in the NESCAC with six.
Tufts will stay in Lewiston, ME for a doubleheader NESCAC matchup tomorrow against Bates starting at 12 PM.
--JUMBOS--
