Opening its 1945 spring season, Coach Floyd Stahl's varsity nine set out against the Naval, Air Base at Quonset, R. I., only to come back beaten 15 to 3 by an older, bigger, and more experienced Quonset squad. Although 13 of the fliers' runs were earned, fanlty fielding acted as a lead weight on the pitching arm of Jack Wallace.
Had it not been for the Crimson's four errors, Wallace might have come out much more successfully in spite of the 18 hits, many of them for extra bases, that rattled off the Quonset bats. Led by a centerfielder of ten years' professional experience, who banged out two homers and two doubles in his first four times at bat, the naval nine kept well out in front from the first inning on.
In the second inning, the visitors, already behind 3 to 0, pushed across their first run. Left fielder Mel Allen opened the inning by singling to short, and advanced to second on the shortstop's boot.
After Quonset punched in two more counters in their half of the inning, the Stahlmen came back in the top of the third with their second tally. After Mel Lackey had grounded to second, forcing Jim Fava who had walked, Jack Forte belted a double to left, driving home the catcher. With two out and Forte on third by virtue of a passed ball, John Coppinger walked and stole second, but the inning ended as Allen rolled out. It was not until the ninth inning with the score already 15 to 2, that Harvard combined two singles and a walk to chalk up its third and last run.
After suffering its first loss Saturday, the nine will open its home season tomorrow against the same team. With Wallace again on the mound Stahl, favored by home grounds and a prospect of better weather, stands his best possible chance of beating the naval airmen.
*Batted for Closky in the ninth.
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