It was knothole day at the varsity baseball game Saturday, as about 250 youngsters visiting the University swarmed into the Soldiers Field stands to see the Crimson play Princeton.

But it was definitely not Harvard's day, as the nine bowed to the Tigers, 5 to 1, in a game that lasted only two hours and five minutes.

Consistently good pitching by Princeton hurler Dick Emery combined with a nervous Crimson infield aided the visitors in handing the varsity its second loss against a single win in Eastern league competition.

Emery started wild, walking two and hitting two batters in the first two innings, while Crimson starter Andy Ward fanned four of the first eight batters to face him. But then Emery settled down, retiring the Crimson in order until the sixth, when Bill Cleary rapped out the varsity's first hit. He scored on successive infield rollers, for the team's only run. Emery was touched for only three other hits, one a double by Don Butters.

The Tigers collected an unearned run off Ward in the third when a throw to second by catcher Bing Crosby soared into the outfield. Princeton outfielder John Easton then moved to scoring position in the next inning, reaching first on a sloppy play on his grounder and trotting to second when Crosby neglected to throw. He scored on a single by Ed Stimpson.

A walk and three hits represented the victors' only major assault on Ward--these produced two runs in the seventh. Then Ken Rossano took over, allowing one run on one hit in two innings.

Meanwhile, the freshman nine pulled out a ten-inning victory at Andover, defeating Phillips Academy, 4 to 3.