Crimson Batmen Squash Tufts, 17-12

Four hours after the opening pitch of yesterday's Harvard-Tufts baseball encounter, a very cold Crimson squad recorded the final out of a wild 17-12 victory.

Offense was the name of the game, as the Harvard batmen smashed out 18 hits and built up a 11-0 margin after three innings. Joe Mackey, who entered the contest with a team-leading .410 batting average, knocked out five safeties, and Dan Williams clouted a grand slam home run, leading the Crimson to its 11th win in 14 outings.

Harvard wasted no time getting started, opening with a six-run uprising in the first inning. A double by Leigh Hogan plated Jimmy Thomas, who had reached on a walk, with the first Crimson marker. Dan Driscoll, starting his first game in left field, capped the rally with a clutch two-run double, scoring Mackey and Ric LaCivita, who had both singled.

The second inning saw the Crimson expand its lead by four more runs. Driscoll again provided the big hit, as he cracked his second double, picking up another RBI. The junior finished the day with a three-for-five day at the plate, with four RBIs.

11-Run Bulge

Coach Loyal Park said after the game, "We determined beforehand that if things went well, we'd get some of the kids a little work." Things were going well after three, with the squad sitting on an 11-run bulge. But the complexion changed rapidly.

Mike O'Malley, who started on the mound for the Crimson, left the game after the third inning, having blanked the Jumbos on only one hit. The cold weather took its toll on O'Malley's accuracy, however, and he departed after issuing four walks.

Reliever Bob Larsen had a hard time finding the plate as well, but the Tufts squad didn't let him off the hook so easily. Five walks and five runs later, Larsen gave way to Mark Linehan, whose inaccuracy helped three more runs cross the plate.

Rampaging Jumbos

When the dust had lifted, Harvard was entering the seventh inning protecting a precarious 12-10 lead, trying to hold off an inspired herd of rampaging Jumbos.

Catcher Williams and pitcher Milt Holt came to the rescue in the late innings. Williams highlighted a five-run seventh with a towering grand-slammer, sending the Crimson to a relatively comfortable lead at 17-10.

Holt managed to brave the high winds and biting cold, providing Harvard with some clutch consistency on the mound. The southpaw walked only one the rest of the way, while striking out five. He was touched for two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth.