MEDFORD, MA (April 30, 2026) – The Tufts University baseball team locked in the number one seed in the New England Small College Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Tournament after taking two out of three games over Trinity (Conn.) at home last Saturday. They will host Hamilton at Sol Gittleman Park for the first round of postseason play Friday afternoon.
GAME DETAILS:
NESCAC Tournament Page
Opponent: vs Hamilton (15-16, 6-6 NESCAC West)
Time: Game 1: 3:00 PM
Location: Medford, MA – Sol Gittleman Park
Live Coverage: Live Stats –
Live Video
Tufts vs. Hamilton All Time:
Almost two years have passed since these two programs last met on the field. The Jumbos took a 2-0 series win in the 2024 NESCAC Quarterfinals with a 7-2 score in both games. Tufts has won the last six matchups against the Continentals dating back to 2013.
A Look at the Jumbos (25-9, 8-4 NESCAC East):
Tufts set the tone for a successful season with five straight wins to open the schedule and captured the first spot in the NESCAC East Division after finishing the season with a 7-1 record in the final eight games. They enter the postseason with an impressive team batting average of .304, a .449 team slugging percentage, and a .403 on base percentage.
Right fielder
Jack Kamin paces the Jumbos in average with a .458 clip which also ranks second in the NESCAC in 30 games played. The sophomore registered a .636 slugging percentage with four home runs and 34 RBI. Kamin stole nine bases on 11 attempts and had 43 put outs with no errors.
First Year
Tate Bannish has been remarkable in his debut season for the Jumbos. The left fielder is batting at a .336 mark in 33 games played. The powerful hitter holds a .595 slugging percentage with a 1.001 OPS and leads the team with five home runs. Bannish is second on the squad with 31 RBI and 69 total bases.
Owen McKiernan fills out this elite outfield in center with a .340 batting average. All three outfielders finished the regular season with an average of .336 or better. The disciplined batter leads the Jumbos in walks with 18 in 100 at-bats. The senior has been strong on the defensive side as well with 56 put outs and just one error to end the season with a .983 fielding percentage. McKiernan also has three home runs and an on base percentage of .446.
James Henshon was solid at the plate all spring as well with a batting average of .326 and an OPS of .939 in 33 games played. The shortstop leads the NESCAC in triples with six and blasted two home runs during the regular season. The sophomore also has 23 RBI and 71 total bases which ranks fifth in the conference.
Senior
Jesse McCullough has made some large contributions to the successful regular season as well. The second basemen holds an even .300 batting average entering the postseason in 32 games played. The senior seemed to pick up hits whenever Tufts needed them most and finished the regular season with a .711 OPS and 30 hits with 15 RBI.
On the bump, Tufts will lean on strong performances from their top three starters and bullpen depth. Senior
Cole Donato comes into the postseason as the ace and with a conference-leading seven wins. He wrapped up his dominant regular season with a 2.15 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in eight appearances. The right hander posted one complete game and compiled 48 strikeouts compared to just 15 walks in 50.1 innings pitched.
Coming out of the bullpen,
Mitchell Hwang has been an unbreakable force on the mound for the Jumbos. The junior finished his regular season with a standout ERA of 0.59 with a 0.76 WHIP in 15 appearances. The reliever has allowed just two earned runs all spring in 30.1 total innings on the hill.
Emmet Christian and
Mark Herlihy have been the other two most commanding starters for this Jumbo squad as Christian holds a 2.64 ERA in eight starts, while Herlihy has a 3.22 ERA in seven starts. Christian finished the regular season with a team leading two complete games and 46 strikeouts. Herlihy ended the regular season with an undefeated 3-0 record and .94 WHIP in 36.1 innings of work and holds the conference lead for opposing batting average with a .183 clip.
Derek Desmarais established himself as the closer early on in the season and enters the postseason with a conference leading eight saves. Desmarais' 4.12 ERA is skewed by a couple of rocky appearances, but his command is not to be doubted. The sophomore struck out 25 batters while walking just four.
A Look at the Continentals (15-16, 6-6 NESCAC West):
Hamilton enters the NESCAC Tournament as the fourth seed in the West Division after an up-and-down regular season. The Continentals have been stronger on the offensive side with a team batting average of .264 and a .729 team OPS. Hamilton also has a 5.80 team ERA on the pitching side with 196 total strikeouts.
Lucas Herman highlights the Hamilton offense as one of the better bats in the conference with a .380 batting average which ranks ninth in the NESCAC. He registered a .580 slugging percentage with 15 extra base hits and 27 RBI. Herman's 12 doubles are good for third in the conference.
Gianni DiCerbo follows just behind Herman with a potent batting average of .349 and an OPS of 1.005. DiCerbo finished the regular season with a team-leading 18 walks and a .482 on base percentage.
On the pitching side, Mark Kovach and Aden Soroca are the main starters for the Continentals with a combined 7-4 record. Kovach finished the regular season with a 3.97 ERA and two complete games in 47.2 total innings pitched and led the team with 46 strikeouts. Soroca collected 38 strikeouts in just over 39 total innings on the mound.
Reliever Mantas Kempinas was one of the stronger arms for Hamilton all season as he commanded a 0.79 ERA across 13 appearances. Kempinas picked up one save and one win and ended the regular season with a solid 0.93 WHIP.
Other NESCAC Tournament Games:
East #4 Colby at West #1 Amherst
East #3 Bowdoin at West #2 Middlebury
West #3 Wesleyan at East #2 Trinity
--JUMBOS--
