Box Score
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Freshman pitcher Matt Moser closed out Tufts' sweep at Trinity
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HARTFORD – The visiting Tufts University Jumbos started the day with an extra-inning 4-3 win, which was continued from yesterday, and closed the day with an 8-4 victory against the Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) East Division baseball action this afternoon. The wins give Tufts a three-game sweep of the Bantams.
Trinity falls to 14-12 overall and 5-4 in the NESCAC East, while Tufts improves to 16-7 overall and 4-2 in the division, and extends its winning streak to eight games.
Both teams were dropped into a pressure situation, as they started the day in the 10th inning of a 3-3 ballgame, which had been postponed last night due to darkness. Tufts led off the top of 10th inning by loading the bases with one out. Senior Scott Staniewicz (Boca Raton, FL) hit a ground ball to shortstop that had double play potential, but Staniewicz sprinted down the line to beat the throw on a close play at first, giving the Jumbos a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Tufts junior tri-captain Christian Sbily (Gaithersburg, MD), who entered the game in relief, retired the first two batters he faced. Down to their final out, Trinity senior co-captain SS Steve Rogers (Watertown, MA) ripped a single to left, and senior co-captain 1B Joe Papa (Stoneham, MA) followed up with a walk, advancing Rogers into scoring position. Sbily delivered a clutch strikeout to end the game, ending the Trinity rally, and picking up the save for Tufts.
A half hour later, the teams began a second nine-inning game, which Sbily started on the mound for the Jumbos. Tufts struck first, as Staniewicz singled and scored on a hit by junior Max Freccia (Stamford, CT) to put the Jumbos up 1-0. They tacked on three more runs in the top of the third, highlighted by an rbi double by sophomore James Howard (Rockville Centre, NY).
Trinity chipped away with a run in the third, and took advantage of Tufts defensive miscues in the fourth to cut the Jumbos lead to 4-3. A sacrifice fly by Howard in the top of the sixth gave Tufts a 5-3 lead and the Jumbos added two more runs in the top of the eighth on consecutive bases loaded walks.
Trinity senior Marc Crowley (Andover, MA) singled and scored on an rbi double by Steven Howard, bringing the score to 7-4, but the run was negated by a sacrifice fly from Stanewicz in the top of the ninth. Tufts rookie Matt Moser (Great Falls, VA) closed out the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season for the Jumbos.
Jumbo sophomore Tom Ryan (Walpole, MA) earned the win in the second game, going three innings and allowing one run against three strikeouts. Tufts batters reached base safely 19 times in the second game. Staniewicz finished 2 for 4 with two runs and an rbi and James Howard drove home three runs. Sophomore catcher Nick Barker (Weymouth, MA) went 2 for 5 with two runs.
Steve Howard had two hits, a walk, a run, an rbi, and a noteworthy diving catch in the field on a hard hit line drive. Rogers also turned in a strong defensive performance. Crowley picked up hits in both of his at bats.
Both teams play agian tomorrow. Tufts hosts a pair against UMass Dartmouth at Huskins Field starting at 1 pm. Trinity will host Eastern Connecticut at 3:30 pm.
Game Box Score
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Game recap courtesy of Trinity College
