Harvard's baseball players, who have been pulling a veritable Rip Van Winkle at the plate this season, slammed out four extra base hits and four singles yesterday afternoon at Soldiers Field, to defeat Dartmouth 11 to 2 in both teams' Eastern League opener.
The Crimson also played errorless ball, and pulled off two fast double plays to help Earl Pat Groper to his first victory of the season, a smooth three hit job.
Four Dartmouth pitchers, who walked 12 Crimson batters, and three Green errors, also aided the local cause.
Andy Ward will probably pitch for the Crimson today when it meets Navy at 3 p.m. on Soldiers Field.
Walks Force In Run
Coach Stuffy Mcinnis' team picked up two runs in the second inning when shortstop Ed Krinsky beat out a bunt. Krinsky moved to second when Groper walked. Dick Sheer, starting his first game, slammed out his second hit, a solid single over second to score Krinky and move Groper to second. Walt Greeley walked to fill the bases, and so did Dick Clasby, forcing-in Groper.
The varsity added three more in the fourth. Two walks and an error filled the bases. Captain Russ Johnson socked a single over second to score two. A Dartmouth pick-off play backfired when Johnson stole second, and Clasby, the runner on third, store home.
A double by Tim Wise, and another by Groper scored the sixth Crimson run, in the fifth inning. Johnson led off the sixth with the longest hit of the day, a tremendous triple over the center flelder's head. He scored on a wild pitch. Wise also walked, and then Krinskly doubled to left Center field, scoring Grump and Wise.
Greeley and Clasby walked to start a two run Crimson rally in the seventh. Johnson hit a one-hopper to the mound, and when fourth Green hurler Hank Felt on heaved the ball over third towards Memorial Drive, Clasby and Greeley both came in.
Dartmouth scored its first run in the third inning, when John Mansfield singled to right and came home on Don Swanson's double to right center. The loser's picked up their other tally in the seventh. On two walks and pinch hitter Dick Major's single.
Two Double Plays
The varsity pulled off its first double play in the fourth inning. With a man on first and one out, Bill Beck grounded to Groper who fired to Krinsky. The shortstop tagged second and his throw to first just beat Beck. In the sixth, with one out, and men on first and second, Marino D'Avanze hit to Wise who flipped to Greeley, who completed the play to Johnson at first.
The summary:
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