MEDFORD, Mass. -- Connor Podeszwa threw seven shutout innings and the Tufts University Jumbos jumped on Bobcat pitching early to defeat the Bates baseball team 6-1 Saturday in the rubber match of the three-game series.
Podeszwa (1-2) struck out 11 batters while allowing just two hits. Meanwhile, the Jumbos (8-10, 2-1 NESCAC) tallied two runs in the first inning and two more in the second.
Back-to-back walks to start the bottom of the first inning set the hosts up for success. Cooper Smith singled home a runner and James Henshon followed with a sacrifice fly.
Bates starting pitcher sophomore
Kenny Carlisle (South Portland, Maine) got out of the inning without any further damage, but could no escape the second. With one out, Nick Banner drew a walk and Connor Brala followed with a two-run home run, extending the Tufts lead to 4-0. Sophomore
Nolan Hobbs (South Portland, Maine) relieved Carlisle (0-1) and was outstanding out of the bullpen, tossing four innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits while striking out three.
But the Bates hitters couldn't figure out Podeszwa. Senior
Ben Genser (Newton, Mass.) recorded the first hit of the game for Bates (2-11, 1-2 NESCAC), leading off the top of the sixth with a double. But a ground out and two strikeouts ended the inning.
Down 6-0 after the Jumbos plated a run in the sixth and another in the seventh, the Bobcats got the first two batters aboard in the eighth. Senior captain
Brandon Biggane (Rensselaer, N.Y.) singled to start the frame and junior
Liam Yardley (Keene, N.H.) got hit by a pitch. That ended the night for Podeszwa and the Jumbos brought in Derek Desmarais out of the bullpen. He got a pop up, a strikeout, and a line out to end the inning.
First-year
David Swift (Yarmouth, Maine) prevented the shutout with a solo home run in the top of the ninth, his second long ball of the season. A day after picking up his first collegiate save, first-year
Charlie Cariello (Bedford, N.H.) was once again effective out of the bullpen for the Bobcats, tossing an inning and a third of shutout ball while striking out one. Cariello has a 0.96 ERA in 9.1 innings pitchd so far this season.
Tufts finished the game with eight hits to three for the Bobcats.
Bates is back in action this Wednesday when the Bobcats host the University of Maine at Farmington at 3:30 p.m.
