It seemed only fitting, after splitting two games, both decided in the final inning, that the Tufts baseball team and its rival Trinity would go into extra innings in their third and final game Sunday night.
Unfortunately for the Jumbos, Bantam pinch hitter Chandler Barnard emerged as the hero with his game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 10th after the Jumbos failed to score in the first half of the inning.
The Bantam's 4-3 victory came on the heels of a 4-1 Jumbo victory in the first half of Sunday's doubleheader. However, with Sunday's win and the Bantams' 6-5 comeback win over Tufts on Friday night, Trinity, at 23-5 overall and 10-2 in the NESCAC, took the series and clinched first place in the NESCAC East. The Jumbos slipped from first place to second with a record of 17-8 overall, 6-2 NESCAC.
"It was tough playing away, driving home for Saturday and then back," coach John Casey said, referring to the rescheduling of Saturday's doubleheader to Sunday due to inclement weather. "But those aren't excuses. I thought we played well, we didn't make a few plays when we had to. But we battled hard."
In Sunday night's heartbreaker, freshman reliever Adam Telian dropped his record to 1-1 after surrendering the game-winner to Barnard. In three innings pitched, it was the only run he allowed on three hits. Bantam hurler Tim Kiely earned his third win, giving up just one hit and pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
Both starters gave solid performances, with Jumbo junior Zak Smotherman going six innings and allowing two runs on six hits and a walk. Smotherman was relieved by sophomore Aaron Narva, who gave up one run in one inning pitched. Trinity starter Joe Westcott went five innings and allowed three runs.
Trinity's dominating bullpen tandem of freshman Mike Regan and sophomore Tim Kiely stifled the Jumbos' offense, holding Tufts scoreless over the last five innings.
In the fourth inning, the Jumbos put up two runs on singles by senior catcher Greg Hicky and freshman DH Steve Ragonese. Sophomore centerfielder Chris Decembrele added another run in the sixth with an RBI double, increasing Tufts' lead to 3-1, but the Bantams came back with single runs in the sixth and seventh.
It may have been Barnard's single that drove in the winning run for the Bantams, but a sacrifice bunt from senior Aaron Goldstein advanced the game-winning run into scoring position.
"We left probably twice as many runners on base," senior captain Bob Kenny said. "That was the difference in the third game, the amount of runners we left on base. We had the win in our grasp, but we pretty much gave it away."
The first game of the doubleheader also saw strong pitching from both teams. Trinity starter Jon Rappaport may have taken the loss for the Bantams, but he effectively silenced the Jumbos' bats for eight scoreless innings, allowing only two hits while posting five strikeouts and one walk. His bullpen could not bail him out of a jam in the ninth, though, as Kiely allowed one run and two hits in only two thirds of the ninth inning.
"[The Bantams] do have some really good arms in their bullpen, but in the second game we came out and hit [Kiely]," Kenny said. "He's really good, he's like Narva -hard fastball and a good curveball you can't even tell he's throwing, but we hit him."
Tufts sophomore starter Derek Rice matched Rappaport's strong outing, giving eight scoreless innings, allowing nine hits but striking out five. Sophomore Aaron Narva, 2-0, relieved Rice and earned the win, despite allowing the only Trinity run. Freshman Adam Telian posted his first save.
"We pitched well," Casey said. "I was happy with the defense and the infield was outstanding."
Hickey, Kenny and sophomore second baseman Brian Casey singled in the ninth. The Jumbos were helped by two Bantam errors.
The win was important for the Jumbos, who suffered a close loss to Trinity Friday night. The Jumbos looked good in the opening game, jumping out to a 5-1 lead, but the Bantams staged a comeback that culminated with a game-winning RBI single in the ninth inning by senior co-captain Jeff Natale.
"We sat back in the lead," senior captain Bob Kenny said. "We let them back in the game. That was the difference in that game; they gained momentum."
Tufts starter Ben Simon held the 5-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth before surrendering three runs on five hits. Senior Jeremy Davis was handed the loss after giving up a run in his one-and-a-third innings pitched to drop his record to 2-1.
"They were three great baseball games," Casey said. "People made plays all over. One team wasn't better. We're still young, and it was a big step forward to play three big games. We can play with them. We should have won, but I still think the kids got confidence from [the games], and hopefully we'll see them again down the road."
Trinity clinched their third consecutive division title, but the Jumbos are in a position to earn second place and make the playoffs. They'll be challenged by Bates, the only team with a chance to overtake Tufts for the playoff spot.
"We just need to win a couple more to get to the playoffs," Casey said. "And then everyone's equal."
The Jumbos will face another NESCAC East opponent, Colby, this weekend.
