Crimson Nine Splits With Dartmouth; Brayton Wins First on Three-Hitter

The Harvard baseball team won its 11th game in a row, 6-2, on Saturday behind the three-hit pitching of Roz Brayton, but the streak ended in the second game of the doubleheader as Dartmouth thwarted a last-inning Crimson surge to win, 4-3.

Another streak was snapped in the fourth inning of the first game when the Indians combined two singles, an outfield error and a wild pitch to end Brayton's record of 40 consecutive scoreless innings. The junior lefthander was in control the rest of the way, however, and he struck out eight men in seven innings in recording his fifth win of the reason.

Crimson base runners amassed seven stolen bases in the first game, and in the first inning Vince McGugan and Kevin Hampe scored Harvard's two runs after they both singled and stole second.

Dartmouth pitcher Charlie Janes gave up six walks and three wild pitches, and was victimized by numerous defensive lapses in the infield. He was under a great deal of pressure in the early innings, but Harvard didn't break through again until the fifth.

McGugan led off the rally again with a single, and Hampe followed with another single and his second of three stolen bases, Harvey drew a walk and after a force at the plate. Janes walked in what proved to be the winning run. Singles by Hal Smith and Tim Bilodeau completed the scoring.

"I was relieved to have the streak ended, although I would have preferred it to have been a non-league game." Brayton said after the game.

"Thinking about the record made me much more careful with men on base. Even when we were ahead, with men on base, second, I would be throwing at the corners instead of the middle of the plate. But the most important thing in setting a record like that is getting the first batter of the inning out." Brayton added.

Brayton gave a great deal of credit to the infield, especially to second baseman McGugan. "Vince makes so many great plays that it's hard to remember any particular one. He has great range going to his right as well as to his left." he said.

The wind and cold made playing conditions even more dismal during the second game, and the hitters for both teams were unable to get anything going until the fifth, when Dartmouth exploded for all four of their runs.

Crimson starter Mike O'Malley struck out the side in one inning, and was keeping pace with the one-hit pitching of Dartmouth ace Jim Metzler, when suddenly everything he threw seemed to be a meatball. The Indians lashed out five line drives, three of them for extra bases, and it was Metzler himself who delivered the key blow, bringing in the first two runs with a double.

Coach Loyal Park brought on Norm Walsh, who ended the rally and then retired the side in order for the last two innings, picking up three strike-outs. "Norm has turned into the type of short reliever that we used to have in J.C. Nickens." Park said.

After five innings, Metzler had nine strike-out, and with a four-run lead, he looked invincible. But the Harvard batters nicked him for two runs in the sixth, and in the seventh they nearly stole the game away.

Thomas started the last inning up with a walk and Bilodeau singled. Pinch hitter Rick Wolf loaded the bases with a walk, and after a fielder's choice for the second out, and error by the second baseman gave Harvard it first run.

Hampe and Harvey waited out a Metzler for two run-scoring walks, but the rally fell short when Larry Barbiaux was thrown out by a step on a grounder to third.