Trinity Baseball Swept in Weekend Series: Bantams Trampled by Jumbos on the Road

ANTHONY ZUCARO ’16
SPORTS EDITOR
The Trinity College Baseball team had a tough weekend due to losing three games in a row to Tufts: beginning with a 4-7 loss on Apr. 15 followed by two difficult defeats on Apr. 16. The second day of play came to close with 4-5 and 4-11 final scores. At the end of this series, the Bantams’ record dropped to 9-14.
In the late afternoon on Apr. 15, the Bantams began their three game series. Tufts had gotten out ahead with a run from Tufts outfielder Harry Brown. The Bantams brought the score to a tie in the third after Cooper Mooney ’18 scored off of a walk, a single, and a wild pitch. Nick Pezzella ’17 later helped rookie Ben Reinisch ’19 score with a bunt. A home run by Jake Bennet ’18 in the 7th inning gave the Bantams a solid 3-1 lead late in the game, but the Jumbos had other plans. In the bottom of the seventh, Jumbos Christian Zazzali and Eric Schnepf both had base hits. Back-to-back walks to Cody McCallum and Harry Brown brought the score up 3-2, and Tommy O’Hara helped the Jumbos take the lead at 3-4 with an impressive two-out, two-run single up the middle. To even the score, Daniel Pidgeon ’16 hit a single knocking in fellow Bantam Johnny Stamatis ’19, who had made it on base with a double. Shortly after, the Jumbos scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to make the final score 4-7.
Trinity’s two game series against the Jumbos on Saturday fared no better. Tufts took the lead early in the first game at 3-0. Pezzella converted a two-run home run to bring the deficit to one in the 5th. Pezzella and Stamatis contributed more in the first game; both helped the Bantams to score back-to-back home runs in the 7th. Unfortunately, the Jumbos rallied and brought their score to five. The second game was much more one sided, and Trinity once again got the short end of the stick. Tufts started the first inning with a dramatic seven runs, with two doubles by Matt Moser and a three-run homer by Eric Schnepf. Pezzella continued to outperform as he hit a double and scored a run in the first, and hit an RBI single in the second. His efforts helped to bring Trinity’s score to 4. Pidgeon scored a 2-run homer to contribute to Trinity’s four points. However, the Jumbos kept racking up points; meanwhile the Bantams were scoreless for five innings, thanks to pitcher Ian Kinney.
The Bantams play again Wednesday Apr. 20 against Gordon College at home.