The baseball team is currently ranked first in the NESCAC East, and with the Jumbos' performance yesterday, it's easy to see why.
After sweeping NESCAC rival Bowdoin this weekend, Tufts had no problem in a non-league match-up against UMass Dartmouth yesterday. The 9-2 victory was the Jumbos' sixth consecutive win, and the team is now 16-6 overall with a perfect 5-0 NESCAC East record.
Tufts scored nine runs on 10 hits and held the Corsairs to two runs on nine hits, dropping UMass Dartmouth's record to 9-17.
Senior DH Greg Hickey led a solid Jumbo offense, going 3 for 4 with two two-run home runs. Hickey started off the momentum in the first, bashing one over the fence to drive in sophomore first baseman Bryan McDavitt, who had walked.
The Corsairs countered in the second, scoring one unearned run, but Tufts answered the challenge in the fourth inning. The Jumbos tacked on two more runs, both unearned, when sophomore centerfielder Chris Decembrele scored on a UMD error and senior Jeff Volinski, who had walked, also scored.
Decembrele had a good day overall, going 2 for 4.
UMass managed one more run in the fifth to make the score 4-2. Tufts widened the gap in the bottom half of the fifth, scoring two more runs on another home run by Hickey. Hickey drove in McDavitt again, who had singled. The home run was Hickey's fifth for the season, and the senior also drove another run in the seventh with an RBI single.
McDavitt continued his offensive hot streak, finishing the game 3 for 4 with two triples. Prior to Tuesday's game, he had a .405 BA for 74 at bats and Hickey had a .411 BA in 73 at bats. The pair now lead the Jumbos with 33 hits each.
Hickey and McDavitt's offensive contributions to the Jumbos have not gone unnoticed. Two weeks ago, McDavitt was named NESCAC Player of the Week, and this week Hickey earned the same honors.
"I had a good week last week," Hickey said. "I'm seeing the ball better, I'm more patient. I'm just in a groove right now and it's working out for me the past few weeks."
Coach John Casey used the non-league game as an opportunity to pitch seven pitchers, almost the entire staff. Sophomore Carlos Lopez started the game for the Jumbos and earned his first W, pitching only two innings in which he allowed two hits and no earned runs.
Freshmen Brian Dzialo and Adam Telian each gave a scoreless inning of relief, their classmate Jason Protano gave up one run in the fifth, and junior Erik Johanson allowed no hits in the sixth. Senior Jeremy Davis pitched two hitless innings and sophomore Aaron Narva finished the game giving up only one hit in the ninth.
Freshman Corsair Brian O'Connell picked up the loss for UMD, allowing four earned runs on six hits in five innings.
Casey was pleased with his team's performance. Considering the Jumbos have won 13 of their past 14 games, are undefeated in the NESCAC, and had a staff ERA of 2.52 prior to Tuesday's game, there's not much to complain about.
"We pitched our whole staff again," Casey said. "And we played pretty well defensively. Hickey and McDavitt had big games offensively for us."
When asked if the team, despite its success thus far, has any areas that need improvement, Casey referred to the upcoming games.
"We'll find out what happens this weekend," he said.
The next two weekends will take the Jumbos on the road for six consecutive NESCAC East Games. The Jumbos' first five league games all occurred at home, and they'll face their toughest challenge yet against rival Trinity, who is right behind Tufts with a 21-4 overall, 8-1 NESCAC record. The outcome of the games will determine if Tufts can hold its lead in the league.
"We're going to Trinity during a hot streak," Hickey said. "We're pitching very well and hitting the ball better, so hopefully we can keep it up. They're a very good team. May the best team win."
