MEDFORD, Mass. – The Lesley University baseball team dropped a twin-billing to non-conference Tufts University, 9-0 and 4-1, Saturday afternoon at Huskins Field. Sophomore first baseman Ryan Pumphret (Shrewsbury, Mass.) went three-for-six at dish on the afternoon against the Jumbos.
Tufts senior tri-captain Speros Varinos allowed five hits and no runs in six innings while improving to 5-0 this season with the game-one win. Sophomore R.J. Hall pitched six innings allowing seven hits and one run for the decision in the second game. Freshman Brent Greeley and senior Rory Ziomek both pitched perfect innings in relief, with Ziomek recording three strikeouts in the seventh to earn the save in game two.
Junior third baseman Tommy O'Hara was 2 for 5 with a double, a home run, five RBI and two runs scored in the twin-bill for Tufts (14-2). His three-run home run in the bottom of the third of game two made the difference. Senior second baseman Tom Petry scored three times and drove home two runs in the pair of games.
Lesley (11-6) was led by Pumphret and sophomore Nicholas Ferragine, who both had three hits on the day.
The Jumbos scored early in often in the opener. Senior second baseman Tom Petry was hit by a pitch and scored on a fielder's choice by junior first baseman Nick Falkson in the first. O'Hara's two-run double with two outs in the second highlighted a three-run frame. The Jumbos extended their advantage to 9-0 with five more in the third. Petry's two-run double down the left-field line was in the middle of it. He also scored on a wild pitch.
Varinos worked out of some early trouble. Lesley senior third baseman Mike Slaby led off the game with a single to right and advanced to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. Varinos got a groundball out to leave him there. In the second, the Lynx loaded the bases with singles by Jacob Cervantes and Ferragine surrounding a hit batter, but Varinos earned the final two outs by K. Those were the first two of 11 straight batters he would retire. A 1-6-3 double play in the sixth helped preserve the Tufts shutout. He struck out nine Lynx batters.
Petry was 1 for 3 with two runs and two RBI atop the Tufts order in game one. Senior leftfielder Harry Brown and sophomore catcher Harrison Frickman also scored twice.
All of Tufts' six hits came against Lesley starter Tom Muratore, who also walked four and hit three batters. He took his first loss of the season, falling to 4-1. Lesley junior reliever Jeff Heinz for two innings and freshman Riley Golden for one did a nice job keeping the Jumbos off the scoreboard despite combining to hit four batters.
The Lynx jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second game as Ferragine led off the first with a double to left. He scored on a single by junior Justin Clark. The Lynx left the bases loaded against Hall.
The Jumbos scored all of their runs in the third. Senior shortstop Christian Zazzali and Petry singled and O'Hara soon followed with a three-run home run to left. Tufts started over and scored again on a single by junior Malcolm Nachmanoff, a walk to sophomore centerfielder Casey Santos-Ocampo and an rbi single by junior leftfielder Mike McLaughlin (2 for 3) that gave Tufts a 4-0 lead.
-- Game story provided by Paul Sweeney, Tufts University Sports Information Director