Ephs drop NESCAC Tournament opener to Tufts, 1-0

Box Score

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- Tufts senior left-hander Adam Telian tossed a complete-game seven-hitter Saturday morning, helping the Jumbos to a 1-0 win over Williams College in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament.

The Ephs (24-11) will face Amherst at 2:30 p.m. this afternoon back at Wesleyan University's Andrus Field. The Jeffs lost to Trinity, 9-1, at Trinity this morning.

Williams senior Matt Gustafson tossed 8 1/3 innings of four-hit ball for the Ephs, but was undone by a single run he allowed in the bottom of the second inning.

The Ephs were sabotaged by some questionable baserunning. Senior Max Pinto was picked off first base twice by Telian -- the second time coming in the after he ripped a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth.

The Ephs threatened in the bottom of the eighth as well when Zach Stone led off with a single to center and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Barrett Allison. At that point, Ephs' coach Bill Barrale called on Bryce Bennett to pinch run with one out. But Bennett was thrown out attempting to steal third and Telian retired James DiCosmo to end the inning.

The Ephs also had runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings but could not score. In the fifth, Chad Brown and Kevin Flynn stroked back-to-back singles, but Telian retired Stone on a pop up and Allison grounded out to second.

In the sixth, Taylor Mikell singled to right and was erased on a fielder's choice groundout by Pinto, who then stole second. But Tufts' crafty left-hander fanned Eph clean-up hitter Robin Allemand to end the threat.

Telian allowed seven hits and only one walk over nine frames, striking out three to improve to 6-4.

Tufts scored its lone run in the second inning. Alex Perry drew a one-out walk and moved to third when Eric Catalanotti's grounder was misplayed by Stone. Catalanotti stole second. Gustafson then walked Jumbos David Leresche and Dave Katzman, the No. 8 & 9 batters, to force home a run.

Gustafson was charged with the one unearned run. He walked four and struck out five over his 8 1/3 innings. Brown was 2 for 3 for Williams while Pinto went 2 for 4.