With the NESCAC Tourn-ament approaching, the baseball team is looking to gain some late-season momentum, finish strong and ensure a playoff spot. Starting an April surge, however, will be easier said than done this weekend.
That's because the Jumbos are slated for a three-game series at Huskins Field against the Trinity Bantams, who at 24-0 have by far been the best team in the conference this year. With lights-out pitching and a balanced lineup, the No. 5 ranked team in Div. III will be Tufts' toughest test of the year thus far.
While the Bantams have coasted this season with mostly blowout victories, the Jumbos have also played well, though at times they have been inconsistent.
At 13-9, Tufts is fighting to hold on to second place in the NESCAC East, a position that would ensure a spot in the conference tournament. Regardless of the stakes, however, the Jumbos are aiming to treat this series like any other.
"There's no [different] approach," junior pitcher Mike Stefaniak said. "Whether we're playing a 2-20 team or a 23-0 team, you have to play hard."
"They're a good team, but we feel if we play good baseball we can give them some good games this weekend," senior pitcher Jason Protano added.
For Tufts, playing good baseball will require forgetting Tuesday's brutal 10-9 loss at UMass Dartmouth. Despite a seven-run Jumbo rally in the fifth inning, the host Corsairs managed to eke out a win with an infield single in the eighth.
"It's in the rear-view mirror now," coach John Casey said. "We can't do anything about it."
Meanwhile, in their last five games, the Bantams have outscored opponents 63-8. On a team full of good hitters, Trinity's unquestionable offensive star has been sophomore first basemen Kent Graham. The Longmeadow, Mass. native has been a force from the cleanup spot, racking up a .417 batting average and a team-high five home runs.
Junior catcher Sean Killeen, who, like Graham, has started every game this season, comes into Medford with a .397 average and four homers. In fact, of the eight Bantams with at least 50 at-bats, only one has a batting average under .300.
"The only way we're go-ing to beat Trinity is if we play our best baseball all nine innings," Stefaniak said. "They're that good."
While Trinity's offense has been spectacular, its pitching this year might be even more impressive, particularly with senior Tim Kiely. The 2007 NESCAC Pitcher of the Year is 6-0 with an ERA of 0.86, and in 41.2 innings this year he has not walked a single batter.
The Bantams' team ERA is an astonishing 1.72, and opposing teams are hitting a combined .199 against them. With a perfect record and such gaudy numbers, the Bantams are focused on keeping their season blemish-free.
"[Complacency] is not in our vocabulary," said Trinity coach Bill Decker, who won his 400th career game this month against Colby. "We never really talk about it; we just try to go out and practice hard and play hard every time we get on the field."
For the Jumbos to pull any upsets this weekend, they will need big performances from their stars. The best hitter on the field this weekend will be senior infielder Steve Ragonese, who is batting .473 with six home runs and 38 RBI to lead his team in all three categories.
In addition, the Jumbos will look to freshman outfielder Ian Goldberg, who has performed well with a .337 batting average, to set the tempo at the top of the lineup. Goldberg also ranks third on the team in RBI with 21.
On the hill for Tufts, freshman sensation Pat O'Donnell will look to keep his perfect record intact. At 4-0 with a 1.02 ERA, O'Donnell is the Jumbos' best chance to keep the potent Bantam lineup in check.
"We strive to play the same way every day," said Protano, who will also get a start this weekend. "We trust that if we play the right way and do the right things, the outcome easily speaks for itself."
While the Jumbos are insisting that this weekend's series is just one of many, it's clear that Trinity's arrival has the team excited.
"We're definitely going to be a little more amped going into this weekend," Stefaniak said. "We're hoping to give them their first three losses of the season."
Casey, a veteran of countless crucial series, maintained that the best strategy for Tufts is to put the blinders on and just play baseball.
"We can't control Trinity," the 25-year veteran said. "It's irrelevant who we're playing against. We're not changing at all - we need to play the way we play."
