A nine-game winning streak to close the year could not overcome an extremely tough schedule, as the Tufts baseball team failed to make the post-season with a 17-15 record. This ended a five-year string of post-season appearances, which saw the Jumbos win three ECAC crowns, finish as a runner up for the title, and also earn an NCAA berth.
"It is hard because we should be there in terms of ability," coach John Casey said. "What happened is that when you put your fate in someone else's hands, you can't control what happens.
"I don't think that [the selection committee] made a good decision in not letting us in there. We beat two or three of those teams that got bids. I'll tell you right now that there are eight ECAC coaches that are jumping up and down that we're not there, but you have to live with what they give you."
Streaks have traditionally characterized Casey's teams over the past several years, and this year was no different. Tufts had winning streaks of nine and three games, while they endured three four-game losing skids. Tufts only lost to one team that had a losing record, however, as they went through one of the toughest schedules in New England.
"I think you judge a team by seeing how well they finish," Casey said. "Plus, you've got to look at who we were playing. We had a hell of a schedule. We were playing great at times and lost a lot of one-run games. We were right there. When our backs were against the wall at 8-15, we came right back."
Tufts opened the season by winning the first three games of its spring break trip. Junior pitcher Zack Brown recorded the first win of the season for the Jumbos in a 5-3 defeat of Randolph-Macon. The offense exploded for 12 and 16 runs in the next two games, against Randolph-Macon and Guilford, respectively. The Jumbos then hit a funk, however, as they proceeded to lose six of the final seven games of the Southern swing.
After a doubleheader sweep of Bates on April 3, the Jumbos seemed to be on the right track, having evened their record at 7-7. Tufts took the first game 12-7, with senior tri-captain Matt Marengi getting the win. In the second game, Brown pitched his best game as a Jumbo, hurling a three-hit complete-game shutout to even his record at 2-2. Brown took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, before Bates first baseman Drew Blicharz broke it up with a single. That did not phase Brown, however, as he did not allow a runner to reach second base after the first inning.
The real star of the day, however, was senior third baseman John Flack. Flack went 7-9 in the two games, which began his emergence as Tufts' most dangerous hitter. From those games on, Flack hit at a .506 clip with 31 runs batted in and five home runs in 20 games. Flack finished the year hitting .429 with a team high 39 RBI and five home runs.
The Jumbos, who had been under the .500 mark for the first time since 1994, seemed so close to getting over the hump, but then got hammered by Dartmouth 11-4 and Brandeis 31-11. The team could not rebound, as they lost both games of a NESCAC doubleheader at Williams the following weekend, by scores of 3-1 and 5-4. Williams came from behind to win both, as Tufts came up with just five runs combined for the two games against the NCAA-bound Ephs.
The Jumbos' strong finish began with a convincing 27-7 win at Babson, followed by a 10-9 squeaker versus UMass-Dartmouth. The following weekend, Tufts swept a pair of doubleheaders in Maine, against Colby and Bowdoin. In the first Bowdoin game, Jon Mugar put forth one of his finest games in a 5-3 win.
Colby proved to be no match for Tufts, as the Jumbos won 11-5 and 11-3. Marengi and freshman Steve Lapham notched the wins. For the day, Tufts showed that they were able to hit the long ball, as senior tri-captain Pat Fernan hit two, while Flack, sophomore Cory Dolich, and freshman Tim Ayers added one apiece.
Even with the season-ending winning streak, the Jumbos did not receive a bid to the ECACs.
After losing Brian Symmons to graduation, Jon Mugar, Marengi, and Brown were supposed to anchor the pitching staff. However, the team surrendered 5.74 runs per game, versus the 4.38 ERA from last season. Marengi, who went down with a ribcage injury and did not start the season at full strength, affected the rise in ERA. The senior was expected to post a sub-2.50 earned run average like he had the past two seasons, but never regained his form. He finished the year at 3-4, with a 5.28 ERA.
Mugar paced the Jumbos with team highs in wins (four) and ERA (4.07). Brown emerged as a solid starter as well, going 3-4 with a 4.74 ERA. Junior Nick Svencer became the team's other starter and went 3-3 with a 5.06 ERA.
With the team's pitching troubles, Casey started freshman Steve Lapham at times. Lapham finished the year 2-2 with an ERA of 5.83, but that ERA was inflated during the 31-11 drubbing at Brandeis.
The potent offense often downed the top teams in New England, as the team hit .337, up from the last year's .325. Brown, who played second base when not on the mound, led the team with a .430 average. Fernan rebounded from a sub-par 1998 campaign to hit .339 with 5 home runs and 33 RBI.
Once again, Dan Morse was the focus of the Jumbo offense. An All-American last year, Morse hit .377, with five home runs, 26 RBI, 18 walks, a .613 slugging percentage, and a .481 on-base percentage.
Another sparkplug at the top of the order for the Jumbos was freshman Dan Callahan. Callahan, a left-handed hitter, was used in the two spot and was arguably the most consistent Jumbo. He finished the year hitting .413 with 26 RBIs and a team-high 52 hits.
"Callahan was a major addition," Casey said. "We didn't expect a freshman to hit .413. Steve Lapham came through and pitched a few great games. He now knows he can pitch. Those two really helped us overcome injuries. We didn't have the same nine or ten in our lineup for nine games. We had guys play really well for us. Nobody has to tell us if we're good or bad. We know that."
Next year, the Jumbos will open without Morse. The centerfielder, who possibly could be selected in June's Major League draft, will obviously be missed. He was arguably the best five-tool player to step on to Huskins Field. On the pitching side, Mugar and Marengi graduate, but the team will look to Svencer, junior Mike Saucier, and Lapham to eat up innings. The corners of Flack and Fernan provided a potent four-five combo, in addition to being two of the team's most respected players. Even with a younger team returning, Casey believes that his squad will be just as competitive.
"We had more than just the seniors contribute," Casey said. "It was a total team effort this year, with a lot of contributions from younger guys. We're gonna be tough again next year too."
