The Jumbos finished the regular season strong with a 23-9 overall record and a 10-2 record in NESCAC play. Although Tufts put up impressive numbers at the plate, much of the team's success can be attributed to the Jumbos' pitching staff, which carried the team at various times throughout the season. Eight of the 11 pitchers on the staff are freshmen and sophomores and have been anchored by the veteran leadership of senior Jeremy Davis.
Davis, a right-hander hailing from Little Falls, NY was among the top two Jumbos in ERA with a 1.54 in 13 appearances. Davis started three games and recorded one save on the season. He was also used as a situational long reliever this season, which gave the Jumbos reliable pitching when the starters needed support.
"He really stepped up for us, especially this year," coach John Casey said. "He's done exactly what we've expected him to do and has been a team guy for us. He's accepted an important role for us and has played admirably."
Davis' versatility out of the bullpen has been a huge asset to the team this year.
"He's the type of guy we can throw into any situation and know that he'll produce," Casey said. "He's capable of starting a game and throwing a one-hitter like he did earlier in the season or he can come in for us from the bullpen and pull off long innings of relief when a guy is struggling on the mound."
Although his numbers on the field have helped the Jumbos pull off key victories during his four-year career on the diamond, his value as a leader to the young pitching staff on and off the field has been as great an asset to the team, especially this season.
Long before the season started, Davis, along with his fellow senior teammates and coaches, spent time meeting and assessing the team for the upcoming season.
"[Davis] is the leader of the staff without a doubt, and has been almost like an assistant coach for us," Casey said. "He took a lot of young guys under his wing at the beginning of the season who weren't used to the system and was instrumental in getting them where they need to be for us to win."
The Jumbos came into the season with high expectations from their talented but inexperienced pitching staff. But it was Davis' leadership that helped the younger pitchers mesh their talents with the pitching system.
"Coming up in the pitching system at Tufts is not easy," senior captain and catcher Bob Kenny said. "There are a lot of new things you have to learn all at once. It takes someone like Davis to get everyone on the same page and pick up the slack if anyone is having trouble. He [Davis] helped them adapt right away."
The Jumbo pitching staff came out strong early in the season. After Lopez and Davis, two sophomores and a freshman, rounded off the team's top five leaders in ERA. Sophomores Aaron Narva and Derek Rice finished closely behind, with ERAs of 1.66 and 2.13 respectively, while freshman Adam Telian finished with a 2.13 ERA. Rice and fellow sophomore Ben Simon led the team in wins with five.
"Early on in the season the younger guys were having some trouble getting used to playing in the system," Davis said. "But after our trip down south, they started picking things up pretty quickly and started pitching strong."
Davis said he attributes much of his success as well as the accomplishments of the younger pitchers on the staff to the work the Jumbos' catchers put in everyday in practice and in game situations. When Davis is not out on the mound during game time, it is the catchers like Kenny who pick up the load of leading their younger pitchers.
"Our catching staff has done a lot to help the younger guys be successful," Davis said. "They'll do the little things like taking frequent mound visits to make sure they are focused and have their heads in the games."
Perhaps the strongest exemplification of Davis' leadership and commitment to the team came in the beginning of the season when Casey asked him to take on a different team role. Davis, who had served as a starting pitcher throughout his career at Tufts, was asked to give up the starting position to pitch as a long reliever. Davis took on the new role without any complaints.
"He'll do anything for the team and accept any role to help us win," Kenny said. "He's a competitor that we can rely on to be there for us at any time and he kept us afloat when our offense hasn't been at the top of its game."
The transition forced Davis to take on a more vigorous pitching routine, working on his arm strength to prepare to potentially pitch every game. Davis jumped on the opportunity to be able to pitch on a daily basis.
"Moving from a starter to reliever made me get my arm strength up," Davis said. "But it's easier knowing that I'd have the opportunity to pitch a lot more. If I have the opportunity to help the team on the mound, I'll take it."
