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Shortstop David LeResche was on base three times, scored a run and had an rbi for Tufts
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MEDFORD - The 17th-ranked Tufts University baseball team was out-slugged by the visiting Bowdoin College Polar Bears, 9-5, in a NESCAC East Division series opener on Friday afternoon at Huskins Field.
Bowdoin wasted little time as they grabbed the initial lead of the contest in the first inning. The lead-off hitter, freshman RF John Lefeber (Branford, CT), reached on an infield miscue and then advanced to second when junior SS Jordan Edgett (Lynn, MA) was hit by a pitch. Both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt from senior CF Brendan Garner (Swampscott, MA). Senior 3B Brett Gorman (Bedford, NY) walked to load the bases with just one out to set up senior DH Matt Ruane (Port Jefferson, NY). He grounded a ball up the middle for a force out at second base, but the ensuing throw to first base for a potential double play was misfired, allowing two runs to score. Both runs in the inning were unearned against Tufts junior starting pitcher Kevin Gilchrist (Medford, MA).
In the home half of the first inning, the first three Jumbos reached base. Senior SS David LeResche (St. Louis, MO) worked a walk and then senior CF David Orlowitz (North Andover, MA) singled. Junior 3B Sam Sager (Saunderstown, RI) brought both men home with a double to right-center field.
The game remained tied 2-2 until the top of the fourth inning. Gilchrist retired the first two batters of the frame before senior 2B Adam Marquit (New York, NY) reached on an infield single for Bowdoin. Lefeber then doubled to score Marquit all the way from first base. Edgett capped the two-out rally with a run-scoring single as the Polar Bears reassumed a two-run advantage, 4-2.
Tufts was shut down in the middle innings by Bowdoin's first year starting pitcher Christian Martin (Lake Bluff, IL). The Jumbos could only muster five baserunners between the second and seventh innings. Tufts had the lead-off man aboard in the third, fourth and seventh innings, but a pair of double plays helped quell the rallies.
Heading into the bottom of the eighth Bowdoin still led, 4-2, despite leaving nine runners on base. Tufts cut the Polar Bear lead in half when senior 2B Frank Petroskey (Dallas, TX) began the inning with a double. Petroskey eventually scored on a single by Sager, for his third rbi of the afternoon. The Jumbos ended up leaving the tying run on third base though, keeping it 4-3 Bowdoin after eight full innings.
The Polar Bears exploded in the ninth inning to put some distance between themselves and the Jumbos, sending nine batters to the plate, and scoring five runs on six hits. First year LF Kyle LeBlanc (Newburyport, MA), who had pinch ran the previous inning, stroked an opposite-field home run to left to score the second and third runs of the frame. Lefeber completed the scoring with a two-run double.
Tufts attempted to rally in the bottom of the ninth as the first three men reached. LeResche was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and then Orlowitz sent a long fly ball to deep center field that just stayed in the park. The fly ball did however bring home another run, but that was all the Jumbos could get.
Martin earned the victory for Bowdoin to move to 5-1 on the season. He pitched eight innings, scattering seven hits and allowing three runs with two walks and eight strikeouts. Junior Ian Edwards (Bangor, ME) threw in the ninth, giving up two runs.
Gilchrist battled through 8.1 innings for the Jumbos, allowing six runs (four earned) on 13 hits. The loss is just his second of the year (5-2). Junior Jake Crawford (Boise, ID) recorded the final two outs, but surrendered three runs.
Lefeber was 3 for 5 for the Polar Bears from the lead-off spot, with a pair of doubles and three runs driven in. Five others had multi-hit games for Bowdoin: Edgett, Gorman, senior LF Joe Comizio (Vienna, VA), senior 1B Dan Hicks (West Roxbury, MA) and Marquit.
The Jumbos were paced by Sager's three-hit day, but no one else for Tufts had more than one base hit. LeResche did reach base a total of four times, but the Jumbos were out-hit by Bowdoin, 17-8.
The loss is the first for Tufts in NESCAC East play as they are now 9-1 and 20-6-1 overall. Bowdoin now stands just a half-game back for first place in the division at 8-1 (20-8 overall).
The two teams will finish their series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 12 pm.
Game Box Score
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