In the top of the fifth, DeRosa advanced to the bat with runners hugging first and second and two outs. Brush worked a quick 0-2 count before throwing a 55 footer that ended up at the screen behind the plate, pushing the runners to second and third. Fortunately for the Crimson, mighty DeRosa watched a curveball nip the outside corner for strike three.
"We thought we could tie him up on the outside part of the plate," Brush said. "When it really mattered, I think I hit some good spots."
Brush, who pitched all seven innings of the second game, found himself in an almost identical situation in the top of the seventh.
Up 5-3, the Crimson retired the first two Quakers on solid defensive plays by Hochanadel and Forst. But first baseman Mike Shannon and centerfielder Sean Turner poked singles through the infield and suddenly the tying run was up in the form of Mark DeRosa.
Once again the strategy was to pitch him outside. The righty short-stop flew out to right center and the game was over.
The division-leading Crimson will surely see similar situations as the season wears on. Whether it is ready not will determine how far this team goes.
"We've been in a lot of pressure spots already," Brush said. "We're a young team, we have a lot of freshmen. But it almost seems like we're so far into the season that they're not really even freshman anymore." HR: Penn--M. Nagata. 2B: Penn--Turner; Harvard--Carey 2. E: Penn--DeRosa 2; Harvard--Hochanadel, Forst. WP: Brush; LP: Fischer. 2B: Penn--Carlon, Turner; Harvard--Hochanadel. E: Harvard--Wells 2, Ralph, Marcucci. WP: Simonian; LP: Wells.