After a disappointing NESCAC series loss over the weekend, Tufts hit the road for the first time since returning from spring break to take on the Brandeis Judges on Tuesday afternoon. The Jumbos threatened to turn the game into a blowout early, with three runs in the first three innings. But when the hitting slowed down, it took a strong all-around effort from the teams pitching staff to capture a 5-3 victory and remain above .500 for the season.
Tufts started things off with a boom in the top of the first inning, as sophomore third baseman Wade Hauser launched a two-out solo home run, his first of the year, to get the Jumbos out to an early lead. In the third inning, they extended their lead, taking advantage of some control problems from junior Dylan Britton, the Judges starter. Britton hit two batters in the inning and walked a third, senior first baseman Eric Weikert, with the bases loaded and two outs. The result was a two run inning that stretched the lead to 3-0 early.
Brandeis got two back in the fourth inning on one swing of the bat by freshman first baseman Kyle Brenner, who recorded the first home run of his career.
But Brittons control issues continued to plague him, and in the top of the fifth he gave two runs right back to the Jumbos after hitting the first batter of the inning and walking the second. A single by Hauser, his second RBI of the day, and a sacrifice fly from sophomore catcher Bryan Egan were enough to stretch the lead back to three. Tufts bats went cold from there, but the Judges couldnt close the gap, grabbing just one more run.
The game served as one of coach John Caseys infamous staff days, with no pitcher throwing more than two innings. Sophomore Willie Archibald got things started with two scoreless innings, improving his ERA to 0.96 in just over nine innings of work, and junior Christian Sbily added a perfect inning of his own before sophomore Tom Ryan surrendered the home run in the fourth. Junior Josh Manning and freshman Andrew David did enough to get it to first-year closer Matt Moser, who picked up his third save of the season, allowing just one hit and striking out two in two innings of work.
Moser continues to impress in his first campaign with the Jumbos and now boasts a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings of work while averaging more than a strikeout per inning. Hauser was the only Jumbo with two hits, upping his batting average to .379.
Tufts will take the rest of the week off before hosting Hamilton College for a four-game set on Saturday and Sunday. After the slow start to the conference season against the Bobcats, the Jumbos will need to rebound against the 7-9 Continentals.
