Teams: Baseball: Schedule & Results

JUMBOS SWEPT IN A PAIR OF CLOSE GAMES AT BOWDOIN

COLLEGE BASEBALL FINAL SCORES
Game 1: Bowdoin 3    Tufts 2
Game: 2: Bowdoin 3    Tufts 1

At Brunswick, ME
Saturday, April 8, 2006

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

BRUNSWICK, Me. -- The Bowdoin College baseball team allowed just three runs and eight hits in a doubleheader sweep of nationally-ranked Tufts on Saturday, 3-1 and 3-2. The Polar Bears (12-5, 3-2 NESCAC) move into a tie with the ninth-ranked Jumbos (11-6, 3-2 NESCAC) in the conference's East Division standings with the final game of the three-game series set for Sunday at noon.

The Polar Bears rallied to a dramatic victory in game one after being just one strike away from defeat. Bowdoin scratched out an early run on a Ricky Leclerc single in the first inning to grab a 1-0 edge, but saw the Jumbos tie the score in the third frame as Kevin Casey (Milford, MA) doubled and came home on a fielder's choice later in the inning. Tufts went ahead on an unearned run in the sixth inning, as a pickoff attempt by Bowdoin catcher Mike Buckley got past first-baseman Joe Berte into right field, scoring Brian Casey (Milford, MA) from second base and giving the visitors a 2-1 edge heading into the final frame.

Berte led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and pinch-runner Ben Yormak was sacrificed to second by K.J. Kozens. Yormak moved to third on a groundout, and Chris McCann walked on a 3-2 pitch to give Bowdoin a first-and-third situation with two away. John Lawrie slapped a base-hit to left center that skipped past diving Tufts centerfielder Jim O'Leary (North Easton, MA), scoring Yormak and McCann to give Bowdoin the win. Bowdoin pitcher Trevor Powers earned the win, allowing one earned run and four hits over seven innings with six strikeouts. Ben Simon (Providence, RI) went 6.1 innings for Tufts, allowing two earned runs, while Jason Protano (Milford, MA) was tagged with the loss for the Jumbos in relief.

Leclerc gave Bowdoin a lead in game two as well, as an infield single plated Mike Buckley for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Tufts got even in the top of the frame, scoring on an O'Leary single to center that brought home Chris Decembrele (Walpole, MA). Chris McCann, who scored three of Bowdoin's six runs on the afternoon, singled and advanced to third on a pair of groundball outs in the seventh inning. He came home on the hardest-hit ball of the afternoon, a triple to right-field by Leclerc that smacked the base of the wall to give the Polar Bears a 2-1 lead.

Bowdoin gained some insurance in the eighth on a Chris Bucci single that scored Nick Lawler for a 3-1 edge. The Polar Bears sparkled in the field in game two, committing no errors and getting several spectacular efforts in support of winning pitcher Pat Driscoll and reliever Mark Bulger, who picked up the save. Adam Telian (Stoughton, MA) took the loss for Tufts, allowing two runs over the final three innings in relief of starter Derek Rice.

Leclerc led all hitters with four hits on the afternoon, while Chris Bucci had three hits- all in game two. O'Leary had three hits on the day to lead all Tufts hitters.

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