Crimson Nine Fights Back From Seven-Run Deficit Only to Lose Game to Brown in Ninth Inning, 8-7

For the last eight innings yesterday Harvard's varsity none completely dominated the game with Brown, but a six-run outburst in the first inning sent the Crimson down to a heartbreaking 8-7 defeat and virtually eliminated Harvard from the Eastern Intercollegiate title race.

The loss to the Bruins set the crimson's league record back to 2-3. With only four games to play, Harvard now trails Cornell and Dartmouth by three games.

Down 7-0 after two innings, Harvard's sophomore-studied line-up produced seven runs, while left-hander J. C. Nickens came on the relief to hurl a two-hit shut out. Then with out in the ninth, the bubble burst.

"Our guys played a tremendous ball game," coach Loyal Park said. "To be down seven runs and come back fighting the way our young team did is just fantastic. It was a real heart-breaker to lose."

Bad Call

Brown's first six runs, in the first inning, followed on a questionable umpiring call. With two on and one man out in the first, a Bruin hit a double-play grounder to shortstop Bill Kelly, who fielded the ball and fired to junior Bill cherry at second.

Cheery was upended by the sliding runner, but he still managed to hold on to the ball. When the dust cleared however, the umpire ruled that although Cherry had collided with the runner, he had never tagged the base.

Dorwart obviously was upset by the call as he then gave up a hit and walked three batters for a total of five runs. Sophomore Nickens began his relief job by walking in a run, but after that he settled down to his superb two-hit performance.

Still determined, Harvard hitters began the long trek back. Pete Varney had three hits, while Peter Bernhard, Dan DeMichele, and captain John Ignacio each contributed two. In the Sixth inning, Varney smashed a two-run homer to tie the ball game.

Sophomore Bob Flanders came in to check the Harvard rally for the last three inning, and Nickens's mastery of the Bruins ended in the ninth. After a lead-off single, southpaw Nickens retired the next two batters safely, although the Brown runner managed to advance to third. One out away fro extra innings, Brown got the run-scoring single it needed. The game and the league race were over or the disappointed Crimson.

Prospects

Despite the fact the Harvard cannot repeat as EIBL chanmpion, the team still has several bright prospects. With a total of five games remaining on the schedule. Harvard could finish the season at 15-7. That record is just one game off the peace that sent the Crimson to the NCAA District I playoffs last year. Since two of the spots in the tournament are non-league assignments, victories over Dartmouth and Yale in the coming week might clinch the Crimson one of those two spots.