The Bearcat baseball team concluded its weekend trip to Southern Virginia with an 8-4 loss to Tufts University in a game played in Newport News.

The Jumbos scored three runs in the top of the first off SVC starter Brenden Lavely, but after a rocky start, Lavely settled down quickly.

SVC got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the third.  After Mike Hildebrand walked, Zach Barberich reached on an infield single.  A groundout by Bobby Finn advanced both runners, and Matt Morrone drove them both home with a single to right, making the score 3-2.
 
It remained that way until the 6^th, when the Jumbos again scored three times, all unearned, chasing Lavely.  Colin Parks and Mark Locke came out of the bullpen to help get out of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the 8^th, the Bearcats opened the inning with a pinch-hit single by Will Tsal, who then moved to second on a single up the middle by Tom Bash.  With one out, Matt Evans drew a walk, then Hildebrand battled his way to a 12-pitch walk that plated Tsal.  A sacrifice fly by Barberich brought home Bash to cut the gap to two runs, 6-4. 
 
However, Tufts scored a pair of runs in the top of the 9^th and SVC was unable to answer in the bottom of the inning.
 
Lavely (1-2) took the loss, working 5 2/3 innings and giving up three earned runs.  Locke worked 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, while Jarrett Noel threw 2/3 scoreless for SVC.
 
Offensively, Hildebrand, Morrone and Bash each had two hits for SVC.

The Bearcats are now 7-3 on the season and will return to action on Saturday (March 23), facing Chatham University on the road at 5:30PM.  The teams will meet again on Sunday (March 24) at Bearcat Ballfield for a 1PM doubleheader.