MEDFORD, MA (April 18, 2023) -- Seniors
Connor Flavin and
Clay Sowell each crushed three-run shots to left field for the Tufts University baseball team, as the squad upped its home win streak to 11 with an 11-5 victory over Johnson & Wales University in non-conference play from Sol Gittleman Park. The Jumbos have now won six straight overall, and 12 of the last 13 contests as well.
Tufts played its first night game on newly-opened Sol Gittleman Park Tuesday, and took advantage of the wind that was swirling out to left field for just the third time this season. Early in the game though, it was the Wildcats (17-12) that got on the board first as EJ Leone doubled off the outstretched arms of Tufts left-fielder EJ Leone to put score Jack Obert and give the visitors a 1-0 edge.
The Jumbos (18-6) came right back with two runs in the bottom of the first, as
Henry Fleckner singled followed by a walk from first-year
Jesse McCullough. The pair would pull a double steal to set up second and third, and Fleckner was brought home on a groundout by
Jimmy Evans to tie the game. Later in the inning, Tufts executed another double steal as Flavin's delayed steal allowed McCullough to scamper home.
The lead would increase to 3-1 for the Jumbos in the bottom of the second, as
Ozzie Fleischer brought home
Patrick Solomon who had reached on a one-out single to left field. Tufts doubled its run total in the bottom of the third on one big swing, as Sowell drove a blast over 400 feet to left field to bring around Flavin and McCullough and make it 6-1.
Tufts added three more in the fourth inning, as Flavin cleared the left-field fence to plate Evans and McCullough to make it 9-2. That would be all the offense that the Jumbos would need, as
Silas Reed came out of the bullpen in the top of the third and was dominant for the second straight appearance. Reed followed
Justin Wells and went the remaining seven innings, surrendering six hits and four runs while fanning 12 batters. Reed has now struck out 24 over his last two outings.
The hosts added two more runs in the sixth for good measure, as Reed retired nine of the final 10 batters to secure the victory.
Fleischer was 2-for-4 with a run and RBI and flawless defense at shortstop, while Fleckner scored twice and stole two bases. McCullough was 1-for-4 with a walk, three runs and three stolen bases, while Evans scored once and brought in two. The Jumbos stole eight bases on the game, upping their mark to 90 on the season while the 3.75 bases per game is third in NCAA Division III.
Prior to Reed getting the ball, Wells allowed one earned run on two hits over the first two innings for the Jumbos.
Obert was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for JWU, while Riley Hasson was also 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs and an RBI in the loss.
The Jumbos will be right back in action on Wednesday evening, hosting Babson College at 6 p.m. on Gittleman Park in non-conference action.
--JUMBOS--
