Despite a slow start, the Tufts baseball team returned from its spring trip boasting a 6-3-1 record. During the annual trip, the Jumbos play stiff competition from North Carolina and Virginia, and usually hope to return with around a .500 record. This year the team not only earned six wins, but they also came in succession after their 0-3-1 start.
"I'm happy with the results of the trip," senior right fielder Dan Callahan said. "The fact is that by the end, we looked like a team, we played together, and we didn't get down after the slow start."
The Jumbos can be excused for the poor start, as they had only practiced outside a handful of times prior to the opening game against Lynchburg, which they dropped 11-4. Tufts lost both games of a double header to St. Andrews and tied Methodist before righting the ship.
"We practiced after the first few games," Callahan said. "So we had the opportunity to improve a lot."
The improvement showed two days after the Methodist game, when the Jumbos defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 7-2, jumpstarting a six-game win streak. In the game, senior pitcher Steve Lapham shut down the team, while Callahan and junior shortstop Brian Shapiro did damage from the plate, going a combined 6-9 with three runs and four RBI.
Callahan and Shapiro will team up this year with senior first baseman Tim Ayers to hold down the 3-4-5 spots in the order, and should pose an intimidating threat to opposing pitchers.
"I hope we're intimidating," Callahan said. "With Brian and Timmy behind me, I know I'll see good pitches."
On the trip, Callahan went 14-37 (.378) with 14 runs, 10 RBI, and a homer. Shapiro hit 19-37 (.513) with eight runs, 14 RBI, and two home runs. Ayers was right behind the two, batting .394 (15-38) with five runs and eight RBI.
While those three provided the majority of the power for the team, coach John Casey was also impressed with some of the pitching performances, including Lapham's in the North Carolina Wesleyan game.
The coach also cited freshman left hander Jeff Volinski's one-run performance against Virginia Wesleyan, and junior right hander Dave Martin's two games against Virginia Wesleyan and Methodist. Like Volinski, Martin also held Virginia Wesleyan to one run, as the Jumbos completed the sweep of the double-header.
"We had good pitching on the trip," Casey said.
The Jumbos also had a strong outing from a pair of right handers, sophomore Randy Newsom and freshman Jeremy Davis, which means that the Jumbos could have a solid rotation behind junior Jon Lee, last year's NESCAC Pitcher of the Year.
Aside from winning games, Casey was also trying to determine who would get the bulk of the playing time at a few key positions this year. He wound up with the problem coaches love to have - too many quality players.
"We're a pretty deep team," Casey said. "We're going to be a 12, 13, 14 man team. Not a nine-man team."
Casey was true to his word, as he filled out ten unique lineup cards in the ten games the Jumbos played. The coach got 15 different people at bats during the trip, and as a testament to the depth of the team, 14 of them got at least one hit.
"Depth is absolutely a strength," Callahan said. "We got a lot of contributions from a lot of people."
The only positions that seem somewhat set in stone - though players and coaches alike insist that every position is always up for grabs - are first base, shortstop, center field, and right field, which will be filled by Ayers, Shapiro, junior leadoff hitter Evan Zupancic, and Callahan, respectively.
The catcher spot, which was evacuated last year by the graduated Joe Suprenant, will be filled by sophomore Greg Hickey and freshman Bob Kenny, who split time during the trip.
"Kenny impressed me, and Hickey came along at the end of the week," Casey said.
Kenny played in seven of the team's ten games and went 5-22, though his contributions were felt more deeply on the defensive side. Hickey, who doubled as the designated hitter in a few of the games Kenny caught, posted similar offensive numbers, going 6-23.
Just like in the catcher spot, Casey is blessed with a pair of second basemen that he can platoon. And like Hickey, junior Jon Herbert was able to DH a few games when freshman Frank Dinucci played second.
Sophomore Adam Kacamburas spent time at third base and designated hitter, and made the most of his opportunities, going 8-23, a .347 clip. He split time at third with sophomore Nick Palange, who went 6-12 in the seven games he played.
While Casey appears to have narrowed the players at catcher, second, and third, five separate players saw time in left, including Martin, who played outfield and designated hitter when he wasn't pitching. Along with Martin, sophomore Frank Giliberti, senior Brian Neville, sophomore Drew Blewett, and freshman John McBride all spent time patrolling left. The five combined to hit 7-38 (.184) with four runs and two RBI.
"We have a lot of competition with in the team," Casey said, "which is good."
Strong pitching, a potent offense, and team depth should make the Jumbos one of the top teams in the NESCAC this year. The Jumbos will carry their six-game winning streak into conference play this Friday when they travel to Maine to take on the Bates Bobcats.
