After taking two of three in its series against the Trinity Bantams, the baseball team climbed to the top spot in the NESCAC East division with a 3-1 record in conference play. The No. 18 Jumbos are now 19-2 overall and hold the highest national ranking of any NESCAC team.
In the Jumbos' first full series of the season, Tufts dominated with a 5-0 victory at Huskins Field on Friday afternoon before splitting Saturday's doubleheader in a pair of one-run games. Saturday's loss in game one of the doubleheader snapped a 10-game winning streak for Tufts that dated back to March 21, when the team fell 8-1 to Lynchburg College.
Off a sacrifice by sophomore first baseman Mike Barry and a two-out, two-run single from sophomore shortstop Matt Moser, Tufts took an early 3-0 lead in the third inning, and appeared to be well on its way to an 11th-straight win.
Freshman Tim Superko started on the mound for the Jumbos and gave up just one run on three hits through five full frames. However, junior reliever Willie Archibald struggled in the sixth; he allowed five runs, four of them earned on four hits without recording an out.
The Bantams went on to push another run across in that inning, taking a commanding 7-3 lead late in the game.
But the Jumbos mounted a comeback, scoring two in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot from Moser and junior center fielder Connor McDavitt scoring on a balk. With the lead trimmed to two, catcher Nick Cutsumpas, with two outs, two strikes and his team down by two, launched a clutch two-run homer to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
"I was honestly just trying to keep my head down, put my bat on the ball," Cutsumpas said. "Your goal is just to get the ball in play and get to the next batter. It's just about getting your job done. You're not looking to hit a home run in that situation."
Cutsumpas' home run was his second of three hits on the day. A costly error in the top of the ninth let Trinity junior outfielder Scott Huley score after his two-out triple, giving the Bantams an 8-7 lead that the Jumbos were unable to overcome.
Tufts responded in the second game as junior third baseman Wade Hauser gave the team a 2-1 lead early with an RBI groundout in the first and an RBI single in the second. Jumbo senior starter Christian Sbily limited Trinity's offense to just two runs on five hits, but was pulled after four and two-thirds innings with the game tied. Freshman SperosVarinos came on in relief in the fifth, striking out freshman outfielder Ryan Reuther, stranding runners on second and third.
Varinos earned the win as the Jumbos took the lead again in the bottom half of the inning off of a one-run single from junior first baseman James Howard. Moser came on in the seventh to close the game.
"The guys responded well and competed hard in the second game," head coach John Casey said. "We just play hard and don't give in. I was pleased with their effort all day."
Cutsumpas, who did not play in the second game, echoed his coach's sentiments. He said he believes in the team's ability to bounce back from the tough loss.
"Our workout regimen in the offseason is designed to keep us fresh for those games," Cutsumpas said. "We are one of the hardest working teams out there in terms of being physically fit, and we go after it in the weight room. It's all about being your best when your best is needed."
On Friday, junior pitcher Kyle Slinger led the Jumbos on the mound, and gave a near-flawless performance. He gave up just two hits in his complete game shut-out, earning his sixth win in as many starts and lowering his ERA to 0.66, which are both tops in the NESCAC. He also leads the NESCAC in strikeouts after fanning seven batters. Trinity had few opportunities to score off him, as Slinger walked only three batters and allowed just three Bantam runners to reach second base.
"Kyle has been consistent all year," Casey said. "He is locating all his pitches and competing very well. When he gets his curveball working well like Friday he can be very tough."
Slinger got plenty of run support from his teammates, who only tallied four hits but were able to capitalize on seven walks and two hit batters to push five runs across.
The Jumbos scored their first run in the second without a hit, taking advantage of a hit batter, two walks and an RBI groundout by freshman second baseman Tom Petry.
Trinity junior pitcher Sean Meekins kept Tufts silent until the fifth, when senior designated hitter Max Freccia's two-out single knocked in McDavitt. Hauser gave the team a couple of insurance runs in the sixth with a two-run single that followed a bases loaded walk, giving him a team-leading 20 RBIs for the season.
The series was the first of two that the Jumbos were originally scheduled to play at home this season, as their first series against the Bates Bobcats two weeks ago was shortened due to weather. The series was supposed to be played in Maine, but was relocated to Huskins Field, with Tufts winning the first game before the second and third games were rained out and postponed to May.
Due to its postponed games against Bates two weeks ago, Tufts is in first place by virtue of its .750 winning percentage in conference play, beating out second-place the Colby Mules' 4-2 record and .667 winning percentage.
Next weekend, the Jumbos will have a chance to further distance themselves from the Mules, when they come to Huskins Field for a three-game series.
