Batsmen Drop a Pair To Big Green, 9-3, 4-1

Once anticipated as the dramatic conclusion to the EIBL season, Saturday's Harvard-Dartmouth double-header emerged as nothing more than the last stand for two disappointed squads. When all was done, the host Crimson hung its collective head a bit lower than the Big Green, having been swept by scores of 9-3 and 4-1.

Harvard finished the season with a record of 16-18, 9-9 in Eastern action. Dartmouth raised its EIBL mark to 9-9, 17-21 overall. Meanwhile, league champion Penn has been gearing up for its College World Series playoff. The Quakers clinched the Eastern crown in April when the slumping Crimson split with Columbia.

In the first game on Saturday, the Big Green shelled the Crimson pitchers for seven runs in the first three innings. Zach Hope (4-4) surrendered one run in the first, and then loaded the bases in the third. Cody Weston relieved Hope and walked in one run before facing Dartmouth leftfielder Brendan Mahoney.

Mahoney battled Weston to a full count before drilling a fastball over the fences for a grand slam. Five batters later, Big Green first baseman Mark Johnson polished off the Crimson with a two-run double.

Meanwhile, Dartmouth starter Kevin Griffin went the distance to up his record to 5-3. Griffin struck out six while scattering eight base hits.

What a Way To Go!

Frank Caprio concluded his tenure as co-captain by knocking in all three of the Harvard runs. Co-Captain Frank Morelli opened the Harvard sixth with a double, and then crossed the plate under the arc of Caprio's home run. In the seventh inning, Caprio's ground out brought in Marcel Durand to complete the Crimson scoring.

In the nightcap, a fine performance by Mike Dorrington went for naught as he was outpitched by Dartmouth hurler Chris Hildebrand (5-5). Dorrington (6-5) delivered one of his best outings, fanning 10 of the Big Green in seven innings. But Hildebrand stifled the Crimson batsmen with a three-hit complete game.

Tom Konjoyan's fourth-inning round tripper accounted for Harvard's only run, as well as its only extra-base hit.