WATERVILLE, Maine -- Junior John Tully tossed his first career complete game and the Bates baseball team defeated Colby 5-2 Friday afternoon in NESCAC East action. 

Tully (Framingham, Mass.) threw 113 pitches in the victory, holding Colby to seven hits on the day and striking out three. He has now won three straight starts in NESCAC East play, improving his overall record to 3-1 on the season. It's the first nine-inning complete game thrown by a Bates baseball pitcher in NESCAC play since 2019.

Trailing 1-0, the Bobcats (7-13, 3-4 NESCAC East) took the lead for good in the top of the third. With two outs and nobody on, sophomore Keagan Ryan (Salem, N.H.) got the rally started with a single. Junior Jack Margiloff (Rye, N.Y.) doubled Ryan home and senior Ben Genser (Newton, Mass.) singled in Margiloff for a 2-1 Bates lead.

Bates added to the advantage with a run in the top of the sixth. Genser led off with an infield single and junior Gibby Sullivan (Yarmouth, Maine) singled him to third. Senior captain Brandon Biggane (Rensselaer, N.Y.) singled in Genser and Bates led 3-1.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, the Mules (13-9, 1-3 NESCAC East) drew back-to-back walks. Myles Gythfeldt followed with an RBI single and the score stood 3-2 in favor of the Bobcats. But Bates was able to get a double play when Tony Silva lined out to center. Ryan made a strong throw back to first to double off Gythfeldt, ending the inning.

Tully worked a 1-2-3 seventh and the Bobcats turned another double play in the eighth. This time, Colby put a runner at second with one out thanks to a Bates error and a sacrifice bunt. Ryan Grace lined a shot to junior Joe Yoxall (Dallas, Texas) at second. Yoxall made the catch and threw to Sullivan covering the bag for the twin killing, ending the inning. 

The Bobcats got Tully some insurance with two runs in the top of the ninth. Yoxall got things going with a single. Ryan drew a walk and Margiloff singled home Yoxall. Ryan advanced to third on the play and then Margiloff stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Genser. Genser drove in Ryan with a ground out to short and Bates took a 5-2 lead.

Bates turned another double play after the lead-off batter reached for Colby in the ninth. Then Tully got Silva to ground out to first for the final out as Bates won in Waterville against the Mules for the first time since 2019.

The Bobcats tallied 13 hits as a team, with every player in the lineup recording at least one hit in the contest. Ryan reached base four times, going 2-3 with two runs scored, a walk, and a hit by pitch. Margiloff was 2-4 with a run scored, a double, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Genser finished 2-5 with a run scored and two RBIs while Biggane was 2-5 with an RBI. 

Thomas Rioux (2-4) took the loss for the Mules, going six plus innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits while striking out four. Gythfeldt paced the Colby offense, going 2-3 with a run scored, a double, an RBI, and a walk.

Bates hosts Colby in a doubleheader this Sunday at Leahey Field. First pitch of game one is set for noon.