Tufts University's Nate Izzo posted four hits and four RBI in the Jumbos' non-conference doubleheader sweep against Hamilton College at Tufts' Huskins Field on April 6.
The Jumbos (11-7 overall) breezed to a 13-6 seven-inning win in Game 1 and edged Hamilton 7-6 in the nightcap. The twinbill is believed to be the first meeting between Tufts -- a member of the NESCAC East Division for baseball -- and the Continentals from the NESCAC West Division.
The teams play another doubleheader in Medford, Mass., on Sunday, April 7. The first pitch of the opener is scheduled for noon.
Bryan Egan went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI in the opener for the Jumbos. Connor McDavitt was also 3-for-4 with a double and scored three times. Izzo and Wade Hauser recorded two hits and two RBI apiece, and Scott Staniewicz, Tom Howard and Joe Harrington finished with two hits each. Tufts racked up 17 hits.
Christian Sbily (2-2) started on the mound and got the win. Sbily allowed four runs on six hits, struck out six and walked one in 5.1 innings. Tom Ryan clinched the victory with 1.1 innings of shutout relief.
Brian Ferrell '16 went 3-for-3 out of the ninth spot in the lineup for Hamilton. Sam Fuentes '13 added two hits and Gabe Klein '13 doubled. Steve Wright '13 (1-1) pitched the first three innings and took the loss.
In Game 1, Tufts scored 11 runs in the first three innings. The Jumbos had 13 hits in their first 20 at bats. Hauser singled home a run and scored in the three-run first. Egan's two-run single was part of a six-run second, and he hit a two-run double in the third.
The Continentals (7-11) had a big inning of their own with six runs in the sixth. Klein doubled home a run and scored, and both Lukas Bridenbeck '13 and Fuentes had RBI singles and scored during the frame.
In Game 2, Mike Barry drew a bases-loaded walk that forced in pinch-runner Matthew Luciani with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Egan was hit by a pitch with one out, Izzo reached on an infield error and James Howard was intentionally walked, which set the stage for Barry.
Izzo ended up with two hits and two RBI and Hauser had two hits and scored twice for Tufts. Harrington doubled and scored a run. Starting pitcher Kyle Slinger did not get the decision but was effective. Slinger allowed one earned run on five hits, struck out six and walked three in seven innings. Matt Moser (2-0) pitched the final two innings and picked up the win.
Klein doubled twice and Joe Jensen '15 had three hits, including a double, for Hamilton. Tyler Reinhold '15 collected two hits and Nick Taylor '15 smacked the fourth double for the Continentals. Alex Pachella '15 surrendered just two earned runs on six hits in six innings. Pachella fanned five and walked one. Andrew Jaffoni '15 tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and Tommy Moriarty '14 (0-2) took the loss in his 13th appearance already this season.
Five errors led to five unearned runs in the second game for the Continentals. The Jumbos took a 2-0 lead in the third as Hauser knocked in a run and scored in the inning. Klein doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error that made it 2-1 in the fourth.
A two-run single by James Howard highlighted a three-run fifth for Tufts and the Jumbos took a 5-1 lead. In the sixth, Ben Goffin '15 had a pinch-hit RBI single for Hamilton, and Tufts scored without a hit for a 6-2 cushion.
The Continentals tied the score at 6-6 with a run in the eighth inning and three more in the ninth. In the top of the ninth, Reinhold hit an infield single with one out and went to third on Taylor's double to left center. Ferrell grounded out to second but drove in Reinhold, and Jensen plated Taylor with a double down the right field line. Klein's double to left scored Jensen with the tying run.
