DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University baseball dropped a non-conference meeting with Tufts University 16-2 on Thursday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field.
 
Tufts (4-2), which was receiving votes in the D3baseball.com poll earlier this season, took advantage of several walks and hit-by-pitches in the first inning, helping the Jumbos score five runs in the opening frame.

Averett (7-19) countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman Ryan Traylor scored on a groundout and junior Kyle Vidano eventually came in on a wild pitch to get the Cougars within 5-2.

Tufts tacked on another insurance run in the fourth and three more in the fifth as the Jumbos began to pull away. They added four more runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth.

Averett's offense totaled seven hits, including two by junior Neil Hutchens.

???????Averett hosts conference foe N.C. Wesleyan College for a noon doubleheader on Friday to begin their three-game series.