In its never ending search for consistency, the Harvard baseball team took one step forward and one step back this past weekend against Brown in Providence, R.I. The Crimson (9-18,6-10 Ivy) played twinbills versus Brown (10-24, 5-11) on Saturday and Sunday, sweeping Saturday's action by scores of 7-3 and 15-7, and then being swept in Sunday's play, 10-4 and 5-4.

"On Saturday, we got all the breaks," senior pitcher Jamie Irving said. "We played well defensively, we played well all-around. On Sunday, we just didn't play well. It wasn't one specific thing."

So while symmetric, the results for Harvard were still unsatisfying, especially after such a promising start. Entering the weekend, Brown was the only team behind Harvard in the Red Rolfe Disision of the Ivies, but the margin was only a game.

This precarious lead, which Harvard maintained, is one of the few bright spots for Harvard in a disappointing, injury-marred season that has been marked by contrasts--solid play followed by pervasive inconsistency, freshman brilliance on the heels of freshman mistakes, close losses made heartbreaking by gutty comebacks.

Versus Brown, Harvard's brightest spot was its bats. The Crimson collected an impressive 45 hits over the four games, led by a red-hot Mike Hochanadel.

"We hit better this weekend than we have all years," Freshman outfielder Bret Vankoski, who went 1-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, said. "We haven't had that [45 hits] all years."

Sophomore Hochanadel, who has also taken over the shortstop position, went 7-14 over the weekend, with a double, triple, home run, and nine RBI. Hochanadel, who was batting 217 with only six RBI a short six games ago, is now hitting .286, leading the squad with three homers, and tied for the team lead with 17 RBI. He has gone 10 for his last 20 with two dingers and 11 RBI.

Harvard 7, Brown 3

Sophomore pitcher Frank Hogan also played impressively, opening the weekend's games on Saturday with a seven-inning complete game win in which he gave up only three runs (all earned), four hits and one walk while striking out eight. The win improved Hogan's record to 2-1.

Harvard started this game exceptionally well, scoring six runs in the top of the first inning. That was more than enough for Hogan, who allowed only one run in the first six innings.

The Crimson also played errorless ball for one of the few times this year (coming into this game, they had committed 55 errors to 37 for its opponents), and generally played like a relaxed, confident team.

Hochanadel keyed the offense by going 2-3 with three RBI, and senior first baseman Joe Weidenbach and freshman outfielder Brian Ralph also contributed two hits apiece.

Harvard 15, Brown 7

Reminiscent more of the Lumber Company of the Big Red Machine than a polite Ivy Squad, Harvard collected 15 hits. Eight of the nine Crimson starters got at least one hit, and six starters notched at least two hits.

The Crimson broke the game open by scoring six runs in the top of the fifth to make the score 10-1. Senior pitcher Mike Cicero (3-3) got the win by going five-plus innings, allowing seven runs (only four earned), 11 hits, one walk, and striking out five.