This past Tuesday, the baseball team lost 5-2 to the University of Southern Maine (USM), dropping its record to 17-14-1 (5-7 NESCAC).
USM took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to left field. In the fifth inning, the Huskies led off with two singles and a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. The next batter hit a grounder to short and put USM up 2-0. A throwing error, which would have been the third out, extended the inning and allowed USM to score two more runs in the frame.
In the sixth inning, the Polar Bears got on the board as Kyle LeBlanc ’14 singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. Aaron Rosen ’15 had an RBI double to cut the margin to 4-1.
USM scored again in the eighth inning and led 5-1. Bowdoin scored its final run in the ninth inning, when Rosen singled to score Cole DiRoberto ’15.
Rosen went four for five for the day.
“Aaron had an unbelievable game at the plate,” said senior captain John Lefeber. “He continues to have three and four-hit games, which is really impressive and establishes himself as one of the top hitters on the team and in the league.”
Harry Ridge ’16 took the loss, pitching five innings and giving up two earned runs.
This past weekend, Bowdoin went 1-2 against the then 13th-ranked Jumbos in a must-win situation. The Polar Bears needed to win all three games to earn a bid to the NESCAC tournament.
On Friday, Bowdoin beat Tufts by a score of 4-3 in a 12-inning battle, winning on a walk-off single by Lefeber.
Lefeber had four hits and earned the win pitching in relief.
Henry Van Zant ’15 was on the mound until the eighth inning, when the Jumbos scored to cut Bowdoin’s lead to 2-1. Jon Fraser ’15 came in to pitch. Tufts tied it on a sacrifice fly off Fraser.
Tufts and Bowdoin entered extra innings tied 2-2. The Jumbos took a 3-2 lead in the 11th inning when they loaded the bases on a hit-batsman, an error and an intentional walk. The Jumbos scored on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning, Lefeber led off with a single and was put in scoring position with a sac bunt. He was moved to third on a grounder and scored when Erik Jacobsen ’15 beat the throw to first on a slow-roller up the middle.
In the bottom of the 12th, Tom Wells ’15 led off with a single. Chad Martin ’16 singled to put the runner on third base. With two outs, Lefeber singled between first and second to score the winning run.
“John Lefeber had a great day,” said Head Coach Michael Connolly. “He had four or five great catches in right and put pitching, hitting and defense all together. You don’t have better days than that as a college athlete.”
Bowdoin gave the Jumbos their third loss all season.
“Friday’s game was as fun a game as we’ve played all year long,” said Connolly. “Our guys played great and we pitched exceptionally. It was a big win with our backs against the wall.”
That Sunday, Tufts swept Bowdoin and earned a first seed in the NESCAC tournament as a result.Tufts won the first game 5-1, sparked by a four run first inning. The Polar Bears scored their only run in the fifth as Sean Mullaney ’17 singled home Duncan Taylor ’14.
Jacobsen took the loss for Bowdoin, giving up four earned runs in two innings.
In the second game, Tufts exploded for 14 runs—including five in the 3rd inning—and shut out Bowdoin. They capitalized on 12 hits, six Bowdoin errors and nine walks by Bowdoin pitchers.
Tufts starter Christian Sbily pitched a five-hit shutout and struck out five batters.
Jay Loughlin ’14 took the loss, allowing four earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
“On Sunday, [Tufts] came out and strung hits together early,” said Connolly. “I thought our guys battled and stayed in the game and gave themselves a shot but on Sunday they played better than we did.”
Bowdoin has three games left on the schedule this season and will play a doubleheader at Middlebury on Saturday. They finish the season with a game against St. Joseph’s (Maine) on Sunday.