Batsmen Breeze by Tufts, 15-2

If the Harvard baseball squad ever found itself in a hole against Tufts yesterday afternoon, it was because of the trenches formed by the Crimson runners rounding the bases so often.

The batsmen scored in all but two innings of its opening day contest against the Jumbos, and three Harvard pitchers scattered six hits en route to a 15-2 Crimson triumph.

After suffering two shutouts at the hands of the Crimson last year, the Jumbos (now 0-2) played an April Fool's Day joke on the home team by scoring in the game's first five minutes.

But Harvard bounced right back, tallying four runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks in part to two successful hit-and-run plays.

Designated hitter Jim DePalo (2-for-4, two runs, two RBI) opened up the Harvard scoring by ripping a ground ball past the diving third baseman, sending teammate Frank Caprio across the plate. Chris McAndrews followed with a hit-and-run double, which allowed Captain Bob Kay--who also got on base with a hit-and-run--to record Harvard's second run.

After a sacrifice fly by Mike Pakalnis (2-for-4, two runs, four RBI) and a run-scoring single by Frank Morelli, Harvard had a 4-1 lead on Tufts hurler Peter Beal.

The Jumbos picked up one more run in the second inning off Crimson starter Doug Sutton, but that marked the end of their scoring.

"[Sutton] pitched very well," Harvard Coach Alex Nahigian said. "I'm extremely pleased."

And with good reason. Sutton, who had only three decisions last year in a 2-1, 1.88 ERA campaign, allowed only five hits and two runs (neither of them earned) over six innings of work while compiling four strikeouts.

Sutton showed outstanding control and location with his fastball, curve, and slider, getting Jumbo batters to make futile stabs at pitches on the border of the strike zone. Rarely did he fall behind in the count, never giving up a walk.

Four Crimson errors in the first three frames made things tough for Sutton, but he stranded five Jumbo runners along the way.

Although Sutton surrendered two hits in the top of the sixth inning, a fielder's choice and an around-the-horn double play--from Paul Rooney to Kay to Rich Renninger--enabled the senior pitcher to escape unscathed.

Lefthander Jim Chenevey relieved Sutton in the seventh inning, and freshman Greg Ubert entered in the ninth to finish the job.

Unlike the three Crimson hurlers, Beal and his successor on the mound, P.J. Horgan, had their share of control problems.

In his 2- 1/3 innings of pitching, Beal often found himself behind in the count, though he allowed only three walks. Horgan met with even less success, as he threw nine consecutive balls before finding the strike zone.

After batting around in the third inning to score three runs, Harvard rubbed salt in Tufts' and Horgan's wounds by adding four more runs in the fifth inning, to raise the score to 13-2. Pakalnis--who enjoyed a fine game both at shortstop and at the plate--drilled a 2-2 pitch past the centerfielder for a double, scoring Kay and DePalo.

Frank Morelli followed with his third hit of the day, driving a 2-2 pitch over the left-centerfield wall for the Crimson's first home run of the young season.

Morelli, one of four Crimson players who turned in a multiple-hit performance yesterday, was starting as catcher for the first time in college.

"I got a lot of work in Florida [over spring break]," the sophomore said, "so I was pretty comfortable out there. It's much easier to call a game when the pitchers are on."

Pakalnis also stood out defensively by succeeding on all six chances at shortstop--including two good fielder's choice throws to second baseman Kay after grabbing balls hit to his right.

The junior shortstop tallied the Crimson's second and final home run of the day, nailing a solo shot off Horgan.

THE NOTEBOOK: Kay, Morelli, DePalo, and Pakalnis combined for 10 of Harvard's 14 hits and scored nine of the Crimson's 15 runs...Tufts didn't set down the Crimson in order until the eighth inning...Beal gave up 10 hits and nine runs in his 2- 1/3 innings...Harvard now leads the series between the two squads, 68-28-1...The Crimson plays Boston College today at Soldiers Field.