Hartford, Conn. Sophomore Jeff Natale (Hamden, Conn.) went 3-for-6 with three runs, one home run, and five RBI, including the game-winning RBI on a three-run double with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 15-12 win in the second game and a split of the doubleheader in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) East Division baseball action this afternoon.
Trinity, ranked No. 3 in New England, moves atop the NESCAC East standings at 7-2 and 13-7 overall with the split, while the Jumbos, ranked No. 2 in New England and No. 21 in the nation, are now 14-8 overall and 6-3 in the division. Tufts took the first game, 6-4, but the Bantams win the three game series after a 6-1 triumph on Friday.
In the first game, Tufts won behind the pitching of senior righty Jon Lee (Manhasset Hills, N.Y.). Lee threw six and two-thirds innings, giving up seven hits and four runs while striking out nine to earn his seventh win of the season. Trinity mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring four runs before a groundout with the bases loaded ended the rally. Freshman Matt Clement (Norwood, Mass.) paced the Jumbo offense with a single, a double, and two runs, while Bantam senior co-captain Jayme Dorr (Osterville, Mass.) was 2-for-4 at the plate.
In the nightcap, Trinity lost leads of 4-0 and 6-1, and trailed by a count of 11-7 after six innings. The Bantams got three runs in the seventh frame and five in the eighth to take the lead. After Natale cleared the bases and gave Trinity the lead at 13-11 with a double, senior Rob Dolliver (Norwich, Conn.) greeted the fourth Tufts pitcher of the eighth inning with his second home run of the game to put the Bantams up, 15-11. The Jumbos eked out an unearned run off Trinity senior Craig Tredenick (Cornwall, Prince Edward Island), in the top of the ninth inning, but the right-hander struck out his second batter of the inning to earn his second save and end the game.
Dolliver finished 3-for-5 with four RBI, while sophomore Andrew Fries (Dublin, Ohio) collected four hits for the Bantams. Freshman Greg Talpey (Westbrook, Conn.) earned his first career win in relief. Tufts sophomore Frank Dinucci (Wilton, Conn.) was 2-for-4 with two runs, and two RBI for the Jumbos.
|
Teams |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Tufts (14-7) |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
X |
X |
6 |
9 |
1 |
|
Trinity, Conn. (12-7) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
X |
X |
4 |
7 |
4 |
Offensive Highlights
TU- Matt Clement two hits, double.
TC- Jayme Dorr two hits
Game 2
|
Teams |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Tufts (14-8) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
10 |
4 |
|
Trinity, Conn. (13-7) |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
X |
15 |
16 |
5 |
WP: Talpey (1-1)
LP: Frew (0-2)
S: Tredenick (2)
HR: TU- Evan Zupancic (4), TC- Rob Dolliver 2 (7), Jeff Natale (4)
Offensive Highlights
TU- Frank Dinucci two hits, two runs, two RBI, double, Adam Kacamburas two
hits, two runs, Dave Martin two hits.
TC- Andrew Fries four hits, double, Jeff Natale three hits, three runs,
double, home run, five RBI, Rob Dolliver three hits, three runs, two home
runs, four RBI, Kurt Piantek two hits, Aaron Goldstein two hits, two runs,
double