Teams: Baseball: Schedule & Results

COLLEGE BASEBALL FINAL SCORES
Game 1 -- Colby 7, Tufts 6
Game 2 -- Tufts 17, Colby 3

At Medford, MA (Huskins Field)
Saturday, April 26, 2008

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Freshman OF Chase Rose was an offensive leader for the Jumbos on Saturday

MEDFORD -- The Tufts University baseball team clinched a berth into the NESCAC Tournament with a 17-3 win over Colby College in the second game of a double-header on Saturday afternoon at Huskins Field. In the opener, the Mules won 7-6 for their first victory against the Jumbos since the 2001 season. That ended a streak of 20 straight losses to Tufts.

Tufts finished second in the NESCAC East Division at 6-6 and improved to 16-13 overall. The Mules are assured of an overall winning record with their 16-13 mark and two games remaining. They are now 3-8 in the league.

In game one's seven-inning win, Colby got out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as senior RF Nick Spillane (Darien, CT) hit a two-run single. The Mules got a good start from junior pitcher RT Tourek (Wexford, PA), who was able to hold the lead. Tufts scored a run after two were out in the fourth on a single by sophomore catcher Alex Perry (Danvers, MA), a hit by pitch and a run-scoring base hit by freshman SS Dave Leresche (St. Louis, MO).

The Mules extended the margin to 6-1 with three in the fifth. Sophomore 1B Ryan Conlon (Ridgefield, CT) hit a two-run home run and Spillane smacked an RBI double. The Jumbos got themselves back into the game on a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth by sophomore 1B Corey Pontes (Milton, MA) off Tourek to make it 6-4. After a scoreless sixth, Colby scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh. Senior DH Colin Riggs (Duxbury, MA) hit a one-out single, pinch runner Chris Murdock (Briarcliff Manor, NY) stole second and he scored on a Tufts error making it 7-4. The run ended up being the game-winner, as Tufts freshman Chase Rose (Scottsdale, AZ) clocked a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh against Colby reliever Ryan Murphy (Mansfield, MA). Murphy retired the last two Jumbos to earn a save.

Spillane finished 2 for 4 with 3 RBI to lead Colby in game one. Sophomore CF Ken Kaufman (Lexington, MA) was 3 for 3 and scored two runs in the leadoff spot. Tourek (4.1 innings, five hits, three runs) earned the victory, improving to 2-0.

Pontes (2 for 4, 2 runs, 3 RBI) and Leresche (2 for 3, 1 RBI) were the Jumbos with multiple hits. Senior Jason Protano (Milford, MA) took the loss, allowing seven hits and three runs in 2.1 innings.

The Mules got out to a 3-0 lead in game two as well, boosted by a two-run home run from sophomore catcher Michael Cuqua (Walpole, MA) in the second inning. However, those were the only runs they would score off Tufts freshman starter Pat O'Donnell (Worcester, MA). He pitched a complete game for his fifth win of the year. The Jumbo offense scored seven in the second and eight in the fourth to run away with the NESCAC Tournament-clinching victory.

Tufts sent 11 men to the plate and scored five in the bottom of the second to take their first lead of the day at 7-3. Both junior 3B Kevin Casey (Milford, MA) and freshman LF Ian Goldberg (Lake Forest, IL) hit RBI doubles. Two walks, a hit batter and an error by Colby helped the cause. The eight-run fourth inning for Tufts included runs scored and RBIs from Leresche, Perry and freshman CF Derek Miller (Whitman, MA), along with a two-run double by Rose.

O'Donnell settled down nicely after the second, allowing only one Mule batter to reach third the rest of the way. He allowed seven hits, two walks and three runs in nine innings while striking out three. Colby did not reach second base from the sixth inning on.

Tufts' 15-hit attack in the second game was paced by Rose (3 for 4, 3 RBI, 2 runs), Perry (3 for 4, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and sophomore 2B Alex Grzymala (East Setauket, NY), who scored three runs and had an RBI.

The Mules were led by Cuqua (2 for 4, 2 RBI, 1 run) and sophomore 2B John LaMantia (Gates Mills, OH) at 2 for 3.

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