PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Freshman Jeff Valdez Jimenez smacked his first collegiate home run for the JWU (Providence) baseball team in a 17-9 win over Tufts University Tuesday evening in non-conference action at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex.

Seniors Nicolas Fortes and Zachary Amero each picked up two hits and drove in three runs as the Wildcats (3-6) pounded out 14 hits and opened the home portion of the schedule with their highest scoring output thus far in 2025. All nine members of the starting lineup recorded at least one hit and the top four hitters in the JWU lineup all recorded at least two RBI, including juniors Jack Obert and Ryan Ducey, who each plated two.

The Wildcats opened up a 5-1 lead after three behind back-to-back RBI doubles from Obert and Ducey in the second. The Jumbos (2-3) pulled even with four in the fifth before JWU pushed across five in the fifth – sparked by a two-run single off the bat of Amero and an RBI single from Obert – to grab a 10-5 lead.

JWU tacked on two in the seventh on Valdez Jimenez' round tripper and a run-scoring double from Fortes to extend its lead 10 12-5. Fortes' two-run double to the gap in left-center in the eighth padded the lead.

Senior Ryan Schultz picked up the win in a bullpen game for head coach Kevin Casey, striking out two in 1.1 innings of hitless relief.