MEDFORD, MA (April 3, 2026) – The Tufts University baseball team fell 1-0 to Colby College this afternoon in a pitcher's duel to open conference play at Sol Gittleman Park in sunny and warm conditions.
The Jumbos (13-5, 1-3 NESCAC), put
Cole Donato on the mound for his fifth start of the season. The senior delivered yet another strong showing through 6.2 innings of production. Donato allowed just one run, while striking out a career-high 10 batters and throwing a career-high 120 pitches.
Tufts' infield defensive talent was on full display in the first two innings as they turned a double play in each of the first two frames to keep the Mules scoreless.
Colby posted the only run of the game in the top of the third inning. Marco Zirpolo led off with a double to left field and scored due to an RBI single into center field by Myles Gythfeldt to give Colby the advantage.
Donato struck out the side in the top of the fourth and recorded eight strikeouts between that point and his exit in the seventh inning to keep Colby off the board the rest of the way.
Mitchell Hwang relieved the Walpole native in the top of the seventh with two outs already collected. Hwang allowed no runs on two hits in 1.1 innings of work before
Lachlan Ellis replaced him for the ninth. Ellis was strong in the final stretch, allowing no runs on just one hit while whiffing one Colby batter.
Thomas Rioux was in total control against the Jumbos. Rioux finished with a line of four hits allowed, one walk, and one strikeout in 7.1 innings of action. Matt Mahoney took over for the senior in the middle of the eighth inning. Mahoney kept Tufts' offense off the scoreboard by striking out one batter and allowing one hit in his 1.2 innings of play to capture the win.
The Jumbos are home against Colby again tomorrow for a doubleheader that is set to start at 12 PM.
--JUMBOS--
