NEW YORK--You'd think it'd be enough to record a six-running send 12 men to the "Late, take a 6-0 lead and allow your opponent just seven hits.

Yesterday the Harvard baseball team discovered otherwise as it lost the nightcap of a 3-2 7-8 split at Columbia's Coakley Field.

Harvard now stands at 10-3 overall 2-2 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League Columbia is 18-10, 6-4 in the league. The Crimson needs a sweep today at Penn to keep pace with the league leaders.

Charlie Marchese's live hitter and a 2-run Jim DePalo gopherball in the fifth gave Harvard its 3-2 victory in the opener.

But while Harvard starter Chris Marchok yielded just six hits in 6 1/2 innings of the nightcap, five of them were homers, including a two-run one-out blast in the bottom of the seventh that knotted the score at 7-7.

In came reliever George Sorbara whose 3-27 ERA going in was the second best on the team Sorbara took center fielder Mike DiChiaro to a full count, then struck him out swinging.

One out away from extra innings, Crimson Coach Alex Nahigian didn't want to take any chances with third baseman Gene Larkin. Larkin went eight-for-eight in a twinbill with Harvard last year. Though he was one-for-seven on the day, the one was a homer in his last at-bat. His average going into the game was 438, and he led the Eastern College Athletic Conference in rbi's and home runs.

So Nahigian put Larkin, the winning run, on first And Sorbara balked him to second. Crimson rightfielder Glenn Meyers sent Sorbara's full-count delivery up the middle to end the game.

The loss obscured some fine Crimson performances, including a four-for-six outing by shortstop Tony DiCesare, whose 378 average leads the team. Designated hitter Mickey Maspons went four for seven, with a three-run blast at the heart of Harvard's six run fourth inning. DiCesare followed two pitches later with a blast of his own.

The Lions retailed with a pair of their own back-to-back homers, from Larkin and Meyers in the sixth.

THE NOTEBOOK Former Crimson Captain Brad Bauer '83 was in attendance at the games.

Lou Gehrig holds only one Columbia record most strikeouts in a game. 17 vs Williams in 1923. Harvard split with Columbia last year, too... The Crimson now trails the series with the Lions 22-55-1. Larkin was the EIBL's second leading batter last year, holding an average above 500. Harvard returns home for a Tuesday with Greater Boston League foe Branders. The Crimson moves to Boston College the following day. Crimson 3, Lions 2 Columbia   ab  r  h  bi Dipasupil 2b  4  0  0  0 DiChurocf  4  1  3  0 Larkin 3b  4  0  0  0 Meyers rf  3  0  1  1 Goryeb 1b  2  1  1  0 Bonneau 1f  3  0  0  0 Yastremski ss  3  0  0  0 Kalescky c  3  0  0  0 Tisca dh  3  0  0  0 Bayly pr  0  0  0  0 Van Vallone rf  3  0  1  0 Total  29  2  5  1 HARVARD   ab  r  h  bi Weller of  2  1  1  0 Kay 3b  3  0  0  0 Pakainis 3b  0  0  0  0 Delpalo c  4  1  1  2 Rivera 1b  3  1  1  0 Maspons dh  3  0  1  0 Vierra if  3  0  0  0 McAndrews if  0  0  0  0 DiCsress rfll  3  0  2  1 Lyman 2b  3  0  1  0 Total  27  3  8  3

Columbia  011  000  0--2 Harvard  000  120  0--3

Game-Winning RBI DePalo LOB Harvard 8 Columbia 7 DP Harvard 1 2B DiChiaro Goryet Lions 8, Crimson 7 Columbia   ab  r  h  bi Dapasupil 2b  4  1  1  2 DiChiaro cf  4  1  1  1 Larkun 3b  3  2  1  1 Meyers rf  3  2  2  2 Goryeb 1b  2  0  0  0 Bonneau If  3  1  1  2 Yastremskiss  3  0  0  0 Kalescky c  3  0  1  0 Telesca dh  2  1  0  0 Van Vallone rf  3  0  1  0 Total  27  8  7  8 HARVARD   ab  r  h  bi Weller of  3  0  1  1 McAndrews If  1  1  0  0 DePalo c  2  1  0  0 Rivera 1b  4  1  1  1 Maspons dh  4  2  3  3 DiCesare ss  3  1  2  1 Lyman 2b  3  0  0  0 Pakainis 3b  1  1  1  1 Vallone rf If  3  0  1  0 Total  24  7  9  7

Columbia  000  302  3--8 Harvard  000  010  0--7

Game Winning RBI-Meyers: LOB-Harvard 8 Columbia 3. Yastremski DP--Columbia 3. HR--Maspons. DiCesare. Dipasupil DiChiaro. Larkin. Meyers Bonneau SB McAndrews S-McAn.