The Harvard baseball team travelled to Dartmouth yesterday, needing a sweep of the two-game doubleheader to capture its first Rolfe Division title since 2006. Instead, it was the Big Green that got to bring out the brooms.
The Crimson (17-25, 10-10 Ivy) fell to Dartmouth (23-15, 13-7), 9-0, in the first game of the twinbill—a result that clinched the division title for the Big Green—before losing, 9-7, in the nightcap.
“We got flat-out beat,” said Harvard junior captain Tyler Albright.
Junior Jason Brooks led Dartmouth’s attack from the batter’s box, hitting 6-for-7 with eight RBI and two runs scored on the day.
“We had a tough day today, but I guess that’s just baseball,” said junior left fielder Sam Franklin.
DARTMOUTH 9, HARVARD 7
With its hopes for a division title crushed, the Crimson stepped back out onto the field for its last Ivy League contest of the season.
“We like playing baseball,” Albright said. “We wanted to come back and get another win and take the series away from them even though we had no shot at the Ivy League title.”
The Big Green had other ideas. Dartmouth scored five times in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a three-run deficit and take the second game of the twinbill.
Following a double by junior Sam Bean, senior Ezra Josephson hit a two-bagger of his own, scoring Bean. After senior Jim Wren walked, Brooks came through with his sixth hit of the day, bringing home Josephson to close the deficit to one.
Freshman Ennis Coble reached on a fielder’s choice, and classmate Matt Peterson lined a double down the left field line to give the Big Green a one-run lead. Dartmouth tacked on one more insurance run on a single by sophomore David Turnbull.
Harvard put up a five-spot of its own in the visitors’ half of the seventh to open up the game and overcome a 3-1 Big Green lead. Senior Dan Zailskas doubled on the first pitch of the inning and scored on a double by classmate Chris Rouches. After advancing to third on a single by junior Dillon O’Neill, Rouches scored to tie the game on a wild pitch.
Franklin gave the Crimson the lead with an RBI single, and Albright added one more with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring sophomore Jeff Reynolds. Franklin then scored the final run of the inning by stealing home on a delayed-steal play.
Harvard freshman Joey Novak took the loss—his third of the season—surrendering two runs while facing three batters and failing to record an out.
DARTMOUTH 9, HARVARD 0
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Baseball Opens Weekend Strong with Twinbill Sweep