Tuesday, April 5, 2005

McDAVITT PRODUCES NESCAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR

MEDFORD – Sophomore first baseman Bryan McDavitt (Holden, MA/St. Peter-Marian) led the charge as the Tufts Baseball team broke out of a hitting slump in two games last week. As a result, he was selected the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Player of the Week on Monday.

McDavitt, hitting third for the Jumbos, was 5 for 8 (.625) with two home runs, eight runs batted in and four runs scored in a 15-2 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Wednesday (Mar. 30) and a 10-3 NESCAC East Division win against Bates on Friday (Apr. 1). He also walked three times during the week and had 12 total bases for a 1.500 slugging percentage. Both games were played at Tufts' Huskins Field.

In the conference opener against the Bobcats, McDavitt carried the Jumbos to victory. He finished 2 for 4 with two home runs and seven runs batted in. His first home run, a three-run shot, gave the Jumbos a 4-0 lead in the third. After Bates clawed back to within 4-3, McDavitt's grand slam in the seventh gave Tufts a comfortable 8-3 margin. Both home runs were to the opposite field for the 5'10", 185-pound righty.

That performance followed a 3 for 4 day with two runs scored and an RBI against the Buccaneers. Tufts improved to 6-5 overall and 1-0 in the NESCAC East with the 2-0 week. Head Coach John Casey's team hosts Bates on Tuesday and Bentley College on Wednesday.

McDavitt raised his batting average to .368 and leads the Jumbos with eight runs scored and 10 RBIs. He is tied with six others for the NESCAC lead in home runs with two.

A defensive back and punter for the Tufts Football team, McDavitt was NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week back on October 31 after he helped the Jumbos hold Amherst to three points in a 10-3 Tufts upset.

As a freshman starter at first base for Tufts baseball last spring, he hit .311 with one home run and 16 runs batted in.

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