Teams: Baseball: Schedule & Results

COLLEGE BASEBALL FINAL SCORES
Babson 5, Tufts 2
Tufts 11, Babson 4

At Medford, MA
Sunday, May 3, 2009

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Dave Katzman was one of five Jumbos playing on Seniors' Day

MEDFORD -- In its final contests of the 2009 regular season, the Tufts baseball team (17-17) split a doubleheader with NEWMAC Champion Babson (22-18) at Huskins Field on Sunday afternoon, dropping the opener, 5-2, and rallying to win the second game, 11-4. The games served as a final tune-up for the Jumbos, who will head to Williams College for the NESCAC Tournament next weekend.

In the afternoon's first game, Babson sophomore Andrew Aizenstadt was dominant early, retiring nine of the first 10 batters to step in against him on five strikeouts and five groundouts. However, the one batter to reach was sophomore RF Chris Rose (Scottsdale, AZ), who ripped a line drive just over the fence in right field for his second home run of the year to give the Jumbos a 1-0 lead in the second.

The Beavers got that run back in the top of the third, as junior CF Peter O'Toole was hit by a pitch, went to third on a double by sophomore 2B Billy Besinger and scored on a groundout to second by freshman 1B Travis Jonasson. However, Tufts retook the lead the next inning, aided by an Aizenstadt throwing error on a sacrifice bunt that set the stage for junior 1B Nate Bankoff's (Lynnfield, MA) RBI single that brought in freshman 2B Sam Sager (Cranston, RI).

Sophomore Derek Miller (Whitman, MA) entered in the top of the fifth to relieve senior Mike Stefaniak (Needham, MA) for Tufts, but the left-hander had a tough start to his outing, giving up four consecutive singles that brought in three runs, culminating with a two-run base-hit by Jonasson. Babson senior DH Jeff Wojnar later brought in an insurance run on a sacrifice fly to center.

The Jumbos fought back, getting eight base-runners in the final three frames, but Aizenstadt pitched his way out of each jam, inducing double-plays to end the sixth and seventh and pick up the complete-game victory. The Beaver ace went to 7-1 on the year with the win, allowing six hits and five walks while striking out eight.

Stefaniak allowed one run in his four innings en route to the no decision, striking out three while allowing three hits, two walks, and hitting two batters. He was also helped by some great defense, as senior CF Dave Katzman (North Andover, MA) made several long, sprinting catches and the infield turned a pair of double plays. Miller took the loss throwing three innings of relief, settling in to retire the last nine batters he faced after allowing the first five to reach, but falling to 3-2 on the year.

On the back end of the double-header, the Beavers rode the momentum from their victory in the opener to a 4-2 lead after three innings, touching sophomore Pat O'Donnell (Worcester, MA) for four hits, but getting help with two walks and two hit batters. But this time, it was the Jumbos that rallied in the middle innings, as they scored two runs in the fourth to tie the game, then pulled ahead with four more in the fifth off of Wojnar, who started on the mound in the second game. Three more runs in the sixth off of Babson senior Matt Barton sealed the deal, providing the 11-4 final.

The rally was a true team effort, as eight of the 10 Jumbos who came to the plate scored and nine of the 10 reached base. Sophomore SS David LeResche (St. Louis, MO), sophomore LF Chase Rose (Scottsdale, AZ), sophomore RF David Orlowitz (Wakefield, MA), first-year C Matt Collins (Hopkinton, MA), and Katzman all had two hits for the game, with Orlowitz driving in a game-high three runs. Katzman had an RBI single in the second and Collins knocked in a run with a double in the fourth. Orlowitz's bases-clearing double in the fifth gave the Jumbos an 8-4 lead. Leresche and Rose each had run-scoring singles in the sixth.

First-year Chris DeGoti (Miami, FL) continued his outstanding rookie campaign with four scoreless innings in relief for the win, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out two to move to 4-0 on the year. Wojnar took the loss for Babson, falling to 2-4.

The games were the final home contests for Tufts seniors Kevin Casey (Milford, MA), Katzman, Stefaniak, Eric Catalanotti (Worcester, MA) and Ari David (Lincoln, MA). Next Saturday, the Jumbos will open the NESCAC Tournament against host Williams, the NESCAC West champion, on Friday at 3 pm. Babson is idle until beginning NCAA Tournament play.

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