Kingston. R.I.--The big story had flown in on wings of newsprint early yesterday morning. It was curt, but resounding with hope--Penn had lost a doubleheader to Army the day before and the Harvard baseball team, with its 3-3 Eastern League record, was back in contention for a second straight league title.
"We needed a new life, a rebirth. And now with the way the team is playing it will be our fault if we don't go out there and take it." said first basement Mark Bingham.
Bingham was not talking politics, just baseball. And with the way the Crimson dispatched the University of Rhode Island here today 12-5 he wasn't just talking either.
It was a different Harvard squad that took Bill Beck Field yesterday. First-year coach Alex Nahigian's bunt and double-steal oriented philosophy had been waylaid, the hitters were suddenly aggressive throughout the order, and the pitching staff took a giant step toward consistency.
The arm of Rob Alevizos finally thawed out from April's chill, and the junior notched his first complete game and victory up north this season. Despite some sloppiness in the late innings ("I was putting it over the middle of the plate with count 0-and-2--what was I thinking?" he said afterwards), Alevizos was virtually untouchable through the first seven innings and at one point retired 12 straight batters without a hit.
Alevizos displayed flawless control throughout the contest rarely falling behind batters in the count and issuing only one walk on the day. "When you get ahead of the batter you can play with him, screw him up. I had 'em off balance all day. My arm felt great and my slider's back. Hey, we're back in it now," said the bubbly hurler.
Harvard raised the stocks of Alcoa. Kaiser and Reynolds considerably with their use of aluminum today. The Crimson lashed out 15 hits, eight in succession in a nine-run sixth inning, and five went for extra bases. Resident axemen Bingham and Mike Stenhouse continued to baffle anyone with an arm. Both went 3-for-4 while Bingham lashed two long triples. In addition, outfielder Charlie Santos-Buch extended his hitting streak to six with a base hit to left during batting practice in the sixth.
If anything, the win has to be the needed momentum for the club's three Eastern League games this weekend. Harvard needs to take its remaining eight EIBL games for the title, something not so far-fetched when you consider that the Crimson won eight straight only a year ago.
THE NOTEBOOK: URI's starting pitcher was David Jansen, who kept running after the Crimson knocked him out of the box in the third...The Mike Stenhouse saga continues: The Stenman recently set career marks for triples and hits and needs one more three-bagger to snag the season mark, held jointly by himself and Tony Lupien.
Baseball trainer Dick Emerson did not make the trip yesterday, seems the Medicine Man went off and got married. "Fred Zos" and his air gun were unfortunately aboard, though.
Alevizos became the first Harvard pitcher to make a plate appearance this season and responded with a groundout to short in the ninth. "He embarassed the entire staff," said captain Larry Brown. E-St. John, Immondi 2, Vitale. DP--URI 1. LOB-- Harvard 9. URI 6. 2B--Immondi, Marshall, Stenhouse, St. John. 3B--Bingham 2. SB--St. John. S--Skaff. SF--Peccerillo.
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