MEDFORD, MA (May 1, 2026) – The Tufts University baseball team bested Hamilton, 7-6, in game one of the New England Small College Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Round at Sol Gittleman Park this afternoon to take a 1-0 series lead.
 
For the Jumbos (26-9, 8-4 NESCAC), Cole Donato took the mound as the starter for game one. The senior did not earn a decision, but held Hamilton off the board through the first innings of play with two strikeouts. Donato finished his day with five strikeouts and two earned runs allowed on eight hits in six complete innings on the bump.
 
After both teams failed to cross home a run in the first inning, Tufts struck first in the bottom of the second with some heavy offense to take an early 4-0 advantage. Malcolm Whitfield led off the frame with an infield single and advanced to third after Owen McKiernan knocked a single through the left side of the infield. Tom Pender made his return to the lineup and racked up two quick RBI with a two-run single up the middle to score Whitfield and McKiernan. Cole Bohane and Caden Abraham were then awarded free bases with a hit by pitch and a walk before Jesse McCullough singled to right field to score both Bohane and Pender.
 
The Jumbos increased their lead to six in the following inning with two more runs in the frame. Whitfield opened with another infield single and advanced to the middle bag after a wild pitch. McKiernan then walked and a double steal brought Whitfield home and sent McKiernan to third after a throwing error from the Hamilton catcher. Pender notched his third RBI of the afternoon with an RBI ground out to send McKiernan home.
 
Hamilton was able to get some offense going with one run in the top of the fourth to make it a 6-1 game. With two outs recorded, Edo Spadaccini gave the Continentals some life with a double to left center field. The Continentals added on another run in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to four.
 
The Continentals scored six unanswered runs between the fourth and seventh innings to tie the game up at six. In the seventh, Hamilton showed some serious fight and posted four runs to stun the Jumbo crowd. With the bases loaded, Ethan Righter hit a two-run single to score Chester Boynton and Noa Oyadomari. Alfonso Rada kept the rally going and singled through the left side of the infield to bring home Righter and Spadaccini.
 
James Henshon delivered a clutch home run in the bottom of the eighth against Hamilton's top reliever to give the Jumbos the eventual game-winning run.
 
Derek Desmarais came into the tie game in the top of the eighth and went 1-2-3 in the final two frames with three strikeouts to earn his third win of the season.  
 
The Jumbos are back on home turf tomorrow for a potential doubleheader matchup to determine which team advances to the NESCAC semifinal round. Game two starts at 11 AM.