Crimson captain Schuyler Mann caught only 91 pitches in Harvard’s quick, 4-0 win over Yale, the first victory of Harvard’s doubleheader sweep at O’Donnell Field Saturday—but those 91 pitches, flung from the right arm of junior Frank Herrmann, zipped from the mound to the plate with such swiftness, such vigor, that Mann felt it anyway.

“[Herrmann] was throwing gas today,” the catcher said of Herrmann’s two-hit, complete-game shutout. “That first pitch he threw was one of the hardest balls I’ve ever caught.”

Not that the last pitch was some sort of batting practice meatball, either.

Late into the game, scouts were still clocking the righthanded flame-thrower at 90 miles per hour.

“The velocity felt good,” said Herrmann, quick to point out that he hadn’t tired.

The first game of an Ivy League doubleheader is limited to seven regulation innings, and, said Herrmann, “usually six, seven innings is enough.

“But today,” he added, “I wish I had thrown the nine-inning game, because I could have kept going.”

During the first six innings, Herrmann faced the minimum 18 batters, allowing just one hit and two walks. By the end of the game, the pitcher had improved his season record to 4-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.48 over 30.1 innings pitched.

The junior recorded seven strikeouts on the day, a trio of which came in the top of the first inning to open the game. All three Bulldogs went down swinging.

“He’s not really a strikeout guy,” Harvard coach Joe Walsh said, “but he came out there and got the first three—I mean man, you’re feeling good. Today’s our day.”

And when Herrmann strayed—a rare occurrence—there was always an antidote ready and waiting.

A Yale single up the middle to open the top of the second? Solved with an easy double play turned by shortstop Morgan Brown.

A walk to open up the top of the fifth? Answered by two easy popups and the handiwork of Mann, who caught the Bulldog attempting to pilfer second base red-handed.

A walk to begin the top of the sixth? Defused with another 6-4-3 double play turned by Brown.

“The two biggest plays of the game were the double plays,” Herrmann said. “I think I threw the hardest I did all game in the sixth inning, after Morgan and [second baseman Zak Farkes] turned that double play. That really got me fired up.”