Baseball Slugs to 20-5 Win at Colby

WATERVILLE, MAINE (April 27, 2025) - The Tufts University baseball team put on an offensive showcase in game three at Colby on Sunday afternoon, downing the Mules 20-5 in nine innings.

The Jumbos (14-19, 6-6 NESCAC East) hit the ground running once again as Henry Fleckner singled to lead off the ballgame. The Mules (18-12, 6-5 NESCAC East) managed to catch Fleckner stealing, but a James Henshon single and Connor Brala hit by pitch put two on the basepaths. Owen McKiernan stepped up and drove a three-run home run to right field to get the Jumbos rolling in the top of the first.

Ben Leonard kept the party going with an RBI single to score Ozzie Fleischer in the top of the second. He came around to score soon after when Henshon homered to right field for a three-RBI of his own. The Jumbos were ahead by seven after just two innings, giving starter Michael O'Brien plenty of run support behind him.

The Tufts starter did his job well, pitching six innings with five hits and two unearned runs for the winning decision. 

Flecker drove in his first run of the day with an RBI single in the top of the third to score AJ Lysko. The top of the fourth saw the Jumbos put up their biggest inning of the day, with Nick Banner, Brala and McKiernan each reaching with a walk to load up the bases. Lysko knocked a single to drive in the lead runner before Ian Robertson worked an RBI walk to make it 10-0. Fleischer added another RBI with a single and Leonard tallied two with an infield single. Brala worked an RBI walk in his second at bat of the inning, and the Jumbos would end the inning ahead 14-0.

The Mules managed a couple runs in the bottom of the fourth, O'Brien avoided further damage with a ground out and a fly out.

Fleischer made it a four RBI day with a two-run blast to left field, making it 16-2. Lysko, Robertson and Fleischer each earned an RBI in the top of the eighth to make it 19-2 before Lysko made it 20-2 with an RBI hit by pitch. 

The Jumbos offensive explosion proved to be too much for the hosts to overcome, as they fell despite managed three runs in the final three innings. The 20-5 win is the biggest win by run differential for Tufts this season.

The Jumbos will move on to their regular season conclusion with a midweek matchup out in Marlborough as they play Worcester Polytechnic Institute.