After being shutout twice by Yale, the team hoped to rally behind the arm of junior John Birtwell (1-1). Last year's Ivy League Pitcher of the Year lived up to his end of the bargain, pitching a complete game and allowing only one run.

Birtwell allowed five hits, struck out one and walked none in his seven innings of work.

However, even though the runs were there for the Crimson tonight, the hits were not. Harvard was able to muster only five hits, and most of its offense came as a result of the inability of Yale pitching to get the ball over the plate. Harvard garnered three RBI walks in the game.

Tri-captain Jeff Bridich reached base in the first inning on an error by Yale shortstop Mike Hirschfield. After stealing second, Bridich moved to third on a balk and scored on a John Franey sacrifice fly.

At this point, the run-starved Crimson was prepared to take runs regardless of how they came. Harvrd would get even more ugly runs in the next inning.

In the second stanza, third baseman Nick Carter walked with one out, followed by a double by fellow sophomore shortstop Mark Mager. Yale pitcher Craig Breslow (0-3) proceeded to walk the next two batters he faced, including John O'Donnell and Faiz Shakir with the bases juiced to put the Crimson up 3-0. Breslow was replaced by John Steitz, who promptly walked another Harvard run in. A Brian Lentz groundout RBI capped Harvard's scoring before Scot Hopps grounded out to end the inning.

Birtwell gave up his only run in the third, when Yale center fielder Chris Elkins sacrificed with runners on second and third.

Harvard tacked on another run in the top of the seventh when Hopps singled down the left field line to score Lentz, but overall, the Crimson bats were far quieter than the score indicated. No Crimson batter was able to get more than one hit off the three Yale pitchers used.