Columbia 9, Harvard 8

It was a bad omen when senior Andrew Duffell, a converted starter who had earned a relief win on Friday, lasted only two batters into the second inning of a 9-8 loss in Saturday's nightcap at Baker Field.

The Crimson's fortunes didn't get any better after that.

After surrendering a leadoff home run to first baseman Peter Aswad and a single to centerfielder Dave Lewis, Duffell clutched his right elbow in pain and had to give way to junior Derek Lennon.

"The initial word is that it's an elbow sprain, but we don't know for sure and we don't have a timetable," Donovan said.

Duffell's early exit was all the more painful because the righthander seemed to have returned to the form of his sophomore year, when he posted an 8-1 record and a 2.35 ERA. Duffell spent most of 1998 battling the after-effects of off-season surgery but was 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA in the early going this season.

Pressed into rapid service from the bullpen, Lennon was stung for an RBI double by Derek Johnson--who finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored--and an RBI double from Hawkeye Wayne that put the Lions up 3-0.

"Columbia's a good-hitting ball club, and I give them credit for that," Carey said. "They came through with the big hits when they needed them."