Box Score
Ninth-Inning Photo Gallery
 
AUBURN, N.Y. (May 30, 2021) – The USMMA baseball team saw it's incredible run through the NCAA Regionals come to an end on Sunday afternoon with a 7-6 loss to Tufts University at Falcon Park. The Mariners trailed 7-1 going into the bottom of the ninth before plating five runs in the frame to come within just one. They had the tying run at first and potential winning run at the plate, but the magic ran out with a game-ending groundout.
 
After a one-out, bases-loaded walk in the ninth by senior Alex Mesaros (Pittsburgh, Pa.) made it 7-2, it was junior Brayden O'Connell (Beaver Dams, N.Y.) who provided the big shot for Merchant Marine – a bases-clearing triple to deep right-center that made it a two-run game, 7-5.
 
O'Connell then scored on an RBI-groundout by freshman Jack Millen (Shelby, N.C.). Junior Garrett Aichele (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) represented the tying run after a two-out bloop-single to left, but the Jumbos' grad student reliever Spencer Langdon induced a groundout to second base to end the game.
 
The Mariners scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first on an RBI-groundout by junior Zac Skov (San Clemente, Calif.). They had loaded the bases in the inning, but Tufts' junior starter Brendan McFall was able to escape with limited damage after two straight groundouts.
 
The Jumbos got the run back on USMMA's ace, senior Joe Raab (Edwardsburg, Mich.), in the next half-inning after a leadoff double and then a two-out double tied the game up at 1-1.
 
The fourth inning saw Tufts hang four more runs, including two on a triple by senior Ryan Daues, as the #5-seed Jumbos went ahead 5-1. They added two more in the seventh off on a two-RBI single by junior Peter DeMaria made it 7-1.
 
The Mariners worked themselves into a first-and-third situation with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but another groundout ended that threat.
 
Tufts threatened with two hits and a walk in the top of the eighth, but junior reliever Quinton Heck (Massillon, Ohio) worked out of the jam. The Mariners went quickly in the eighth and junior Billy Todd (Gastonia, N.C.) came in to pitch the ninth and worked around a leadoff walk to retire the side, setting up the dramatics in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Merchant Marine was looking to complete its second comeback from six runs down in less than 20 hours, however despite the "never-say-die" mentality, the Jumbos were barely able to escape with the victory. Tufts will move on to a potential Championship-clinching game against SUNY Cortland this afternoon.
 
Raab finished with six innings pitched, five runs allowed (four earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts. Senior Timmy Chase (Scituate, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Mariners, and Aichele went 2-for-5. O'Connell knocked in the three runs in the ninth and scored twice.
 
The Mariners' season concludes with an incredible 18-5 record, a Skyline Conference Championship, a 2-2 record in NCAA Regional action, including a win over top-seed and #14 Eastern Connecticut State, and playing into Championship Sunday.
 
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