WHIITER, Calif. (March 20, 2023)- The Poets took on the Tufts University Jumbos in a non-conference matchup this afternoon. Despite rattling off 13 hits, Whittier dropped this game by a score of 14-6. 

Matthew Helguera started on the mound for the Poets and after a 1,2,3 first inning got some early run support. Whittier jumped on the Jumbos starter for 3 runs in the bottom of the first. The Poets leadoff man, Nathan Sherman, battled at the plate and immediately got the hits rolling with a double off the left field wall. After a Dane Goodman single and Teige Barrett walk, Lew Rice once again played hero and had an RBI single to right field. Cam Gray and Jackson Brummett were also able to get singles this inning, allowing Whittier to score 2 more runs. 

Tufts then began to get their bats going in the second and score every inning until the sixth. With the Jumbos up 10-3, Whittier got some runs back in the sixth. The top of the lineup came up and started a 2-out rally for the Poets. Sherman singled, followed by an RBI double from Goodman, then Barrett came up and singled home Goodman. The score was now 10-5 Tufts. 

Whittier scored one more run in the bottom of the seventh, with an Ian Watanabe pinch-hit RBI single. But the Poets scoring would end there, while the Jumbos continued to pour it on. 

In the end, Tufts would down Whittier by a score of 14-6. Goodman led the Poets in hitting today going 3-5, with 2 doubles and an RBI. Rice and Sherman also had multiple hits for Whittier. In relief, Marcus Owens pitched a strong sixth inning only giving up 1 hit with 2 strikeouts. 

The Poets will be back in action this Friday as they begin a series against Pacific Lutheran. The first game of the series will be at 3:00 at home. 

Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

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