MEDFORD, Mass. – Bates College baseball held Tufts University to four hits, but Tufts capitalized on nine walks and three hit batsmen to earn a 7-1 win in an elimination game on the second day of the NESCAC Championship on Saturday afternoon.
The Jumbos (32-6), the tournament's hosts, advance to play Wesleyan tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. while the season ends for the Bobcats (20-21) who acted as the designated home team at Tufts' Huskins Field.
Tufts' Christian Sbily tossed 5.1 innings in the win (6-0), allowing one run on three hits and four walks with one strikeout. Tom Ryan earned his third save of the year, throwing 3.2 innings and conceding just one hit with two strikeouts.
Sophomore right-hander Samuel Warren (Norfolk, Va.) kept the Bobcats in the game as he did not allow a hit over four innings in relief and struck out six batters. Classmate Connor Colombo (Mendon, Mass.) also kept the Jumbos hitless over the final 1.2 innings. Junior Will Levangie (Frederick, Md.) took the loss (1-3) in the start, giving up six runs in 2.1 innings.
The Jumbos struck for one run in the top of the first as Connor McDavitt led off the inning with a bunt single. McDavitt stole second with one out and third with two outs before coming home on a wild pitch.
Tufts extended its lead to 6-0 in the top of the third, plating five runs on just two hits. James Howard walked, Wade Hauser singled, and Max Freccia was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. After a line out, two runners came home as consecutive batters were hit by pitches. The Jumbos scratched another run across before Tim Mitropoulos hit a two-run double to left center.
The Bobcats chipped into the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth as senior Griff Tewksbury (Concord, N.H.) led off the frame with a walk. An error allowed Tewksbury to advance to second, and he later came home on a double play ball.
Bates threatened to cut into the Jumbos' advantage further in the top of the sixth, but Tufts kept the Bobcats off the board. First-year Ryan McCarthy (Plaistow, N.H.) and Tewksbury each walked to start the inning. Senior Kevin Davis (North Andover, Mass.) then shot a single into right field which almost scored McCarthy, but a pinpointed throw from Howard beat the rookie to the plate.
Tufts tacked on an insurance run in the eighth as back-to-back batters walked to begin the inning. After a sacrifice bunt from McDavitt and another walk, Hauser brought home the run with a ground out.
