“We’re hoping it’s contagious,” Walsh said. “We got a few hits and hope to carry that momentum into the week.”

YALE 8, HARVARD 1

In Sunday’s first game, Yale—which sits atop the Rolfe division in Ivy League standings—notched its second win against a Harvard team that has struggled for consistency so far this season.

Junior left-handed pitcher Brent Suter pitched the first four innings for the Crimson and struck out five batters, though he allowed seven runs scored in the first five innings.

“Suter’s been hot and cold for us all year,” Walsh said. “He didn’t have as good a fastball or breaking ball today [as he usually has] in the pen.”

Harvard went down by one in the second inning, but a Yale scoring surge in the fourth and fifth left the Crimson in an 8-1 hole.

“We have to learn to battle a little bit when we’re down early in the games,” Walsh said.

Harvard picked up its only run in the fourth, as Albright brought in junior designated hitter Marcus Way to bring Harvard within two of the Bulldogs, 3-1. Harvard earned just four hits in the loss.

With Harvard-Yale bragging rights on the line, this series has increased meaning for the Crimson.

"Everyone is familiar with the [Harvard-Yale] football rivalry,” McGuiggan said. “The baseball rivalry is just as big.”

“It was great that we were able to pull off the split,” Sestanovich added. “It would have been nice to win all four, but we’ll take it.”

—Staff writer Catherine E. Coppinger can be reached at ccoppinger@college.harvard.edu.