LEXINGTON, Va. -- Tufts University scored seven runs in the sixth inning and beyond to hold off the Washington and Lee baseball team, 9-5, on Sunday afternoon at Cap'n Dick Smith Field.

Tufts took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first, before the Generals (6-9) halved the deficit with a single run in the bottom half of the first on a RBI single by senior third baseman Jim Plantholt (Pylesville, Md./North Harford).

The game then became a pitching duel as W&L sophomore Pat Smith (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) and Tufts junior Pat O'Donnell (Worcester, Mass./Worcester) combined to allow just two hits over the next four innings.

The Jumbos (2-0) scored three runs in the sixth on RBI singles by senior catcher Alex Perry (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) and junior second baseman Frank Petroskey (Dallas, Texas/Cooperstown Central (N.Y.)), as well as a W&L fielding error.

W&L countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame on a two-run homerun from senior first baseman Hunter Serenbetz (Stamford, Conn./Taft) to pull within two runs at 5-3.

Tufts tallied four more runs in the eighth inning to assume a 9-3 lead and W&L scored twice more in the bottom of the ninth to account for the final margin.

First-year shortstop Jonathan Stutts (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day) led W&L at the plate, as he had three hits in five at-bats and scored a pair of runs. Sophomore leftfielder C.J. Thompson (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Nease) was 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Senior designated hitter Will Lewis (Columbia, S.C./A.C. Flora) added two hits in four at-bats.

Smith took the loss for W&L, allowing two runs (1 earned) in 4.0 innings. He allowed three hits and one walk and struck out three.

O'Donnell earned the win (1-0) for Tufts as he allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work. Sophomore Jake Crawford (Boise, Idaho/Boise) pitched the final two innings for the Jumbos.

At the plate, the Jumbos were led by Perry, who finished 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. Petroskey was 3-for-5 with an RBI, while junior rightfielder Chase Rose (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI and junior shortstop David LeResche (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs) was 2-for-5 and scored a pair of runs.

W&L returns to action on Tuesday when it visits Shenandoah for a 3:30 pm contest.

--GENERALS--