Morgan Brown did it by inducing a weak grounder from Bobby Wigginton to shortstop, which sophomore Ian Wallace threw to first for the second out. Brown also got the first two outs in the 11th.

It was the most important appearance so far in the career of the freshman reliever, who has been used as a backup closer of sorts while Wahlberg has battled a finger injury. In recent weeks, Morgan Brown has warmed up alongside Wahlberg as insurance in case the captain has difficulty finding the zone.

Yesterday, when in counted most, Morgan Brown was in it.

“You know Barry’s the closer,” Brown said. “You just try to try to get what you can get, and I’ll try and do my job if it gets that far. I get ready like I’m going to come in every time and hope [Wahlberg] can get the job done, and if it doesn’t happen I come in and try to help.”

Harvard had jumped out to a 6-2 lead midway through the seventh on the strength of solid pitching from senior lefty Kenon Ronz and the bat of Farkes. Farkes hit two homers on the day—a two-run shot in the top of the fifth and a solo shot that just stayed inside the foul pole in the seventh—and knocked in four runs.

But things fell apart in the eighth. Ronz allowed a double and a single to open up the inning, and was eventually replaced by Wahlberg, who came in with nobody out and the lead down to two. The wild pitch to Jeff Nicholas brought Brown within one, and the Bears used a stolen base a bunt and a sacrifice fly to manufacture the tying run.

Brown 5, Harvard 3

In every way possible, Harvard hurt itself in the opener.

With runners on first and third and two outs, freshman pitcher Matt Brunnig (3-2) threw a pitch to Johnson, never knowing just how bizarre the play would be.

But when Matt Kutler tried to steal second on the pitch, sophomore catcher Schuyler Mann threw a perfect back to the infield to catch Kutler in a rundown. With Wallace pursuing Kutler on the basepaths, Brown’s Rob Deeb attempted to score, and Wallace threw home to get the runner.

The ball never made it there.

Wallace’s throw was low and hit Brunnig, who had crouched to avoid it, square in the elbow. The ball bounced back toward short, Kutler was safe and Brunnig was sprawled on the field in pain.

It was the second such freakish injury to a pitcher on an infielder’s throw this season. Senior Matt Self had been hit by a Lentz throw to the mound against Cornell.

Brunnig eventually got up and was able to pitch well, surrendering only four hits, but with the wind blowing out to right field, two of those hits were home runs.

“You don’t wanna lose a ballgame when you give up four hits, which is what we did,” Walsh said. “It’s frustrating. That’s why I hate the seven-inning ballgame, you put pressure on guys.”

The Crimson responded well to the pressure in the fourth inning. Down 3-2 after Brunnig’s adventure, Farkes executed a perfect leadoff bunt to get on base, and Lentz followed with a single to left. Two batters later, Klimkiewicz hit a three-run homer to the scoreboard in right field to give Harvard the lead.

But Brown’s Eric Lardon responded with a two-run shot of his own in the next frame—his first of two on the day—to reverse the momentum.

Notes

Junior pitcher/first baseman Trey Hendricks underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on Friday to have a bone chip removed from his knee, according to his father, Art Hendricks. Dr. Bertram Zarins, team doctor for the Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and New England Revolution, performed the procedure, which it is believed would keep Hendricks out of action for six weeks. Hendricks was not in Providence yesterday but is expected to travel with the team today.

—Staff writer Martin S. Bell can be reached at msbell@fas.harvard.edu.