Baseball Swept Away in Four Games Against Dartmouth

While the venue in which the Harvard baseball team played changed between Saturday and yesterday, the bad results stayed the same. The Crimson (10-22, 6-14 Ivy) got swept by Dartmouth (16-17, 12-8 Ivy) in Hanover, N.H., on Saturday, then came home only to get swept again by the Big Green yesterday at Soldiers Field. Harvard  1  6 Dartmouth  2  8 Dartmouth  .6  6 Harvard  4  1

On both days, close first games were followed by not-so-close second games. On Saturday, Harvard wasted a fine pitching performance by sophomore Frank Hogan in the opener to lose, 2-1. The Crimson then lost 8-4 in the nightcap.

Harvard lost yesterday's first game 6-4 in eight innings (doubleheaders only have seven innings of regulation), and the second game score was a more lopsided 6-1 contest in Dartmouth's favor.

These games marked the end of the Ivy League season for Harvard, and the Crimson could not overtake Dartmouth for second place in the Red Rolfe Division (Harvard was two games back going into the weekend). But as this disappointing season draws closer and closer to an overall close (the team has only three games left), the players insist that they have not allowed the letdowns to affect their performances.

"We have had so many disappointing losses," freshman outfielder Bret Vankoski said. "But that hasn't kept us from going out and trying hard. There are no real losers on this team, and we'll try to finish the best we can."

Saturday Dartmouth 2, Harvard 1

Hogan followed his excellent performance against Brown last weekend with another gem. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough Saturday as Harvard's bats could not support him.

Hogan (2-2), who has a team low 2.78 ERA, gave up only two runs (both earned) in a six inning complete game effort, giving up eight hits, one walk and striking out six. But the Crimson could only muster six hits and a run off Dartmouth starter Scott Simon.

"We hit the ball well," said sophomore shortstop Mike Hochanadel, who continued his torrid pace of late with a 2-3 day, "But we were hitting the ball right at people."

Vankoski echoed Hochanadel's sentiments.

"It was definitely a tough loss," said Vankoski, who went 1-2 with a walk. "We left too many runners on base [seven]. Frank pitched very well, and we hit the ball well too, but just right back at guys."

Harvard's only run came on junior catcher Dennis Doble's solo home run in the second inning, his first blast of the year. That run tied the game at one after Dartmouth scored in the bottom of the first. But the Big Green scored what would turn out to be the winning run in the bottom of the third.

Dartmouth 8, Harvard 4

This game wasn't close, courtesy of a eight run Big Green explosion from the fourth to sixth innings. Again, the Crimson hit the ball relatively hard (Dartmouth had only nine hits to Harvard's seven), but it wasn't enough. Harvard stranded eight runners, but the opportunistic Big Green left only five runners on base.

"We stranded too many runners," said Vankoski, who drove in a run and drew two walks despite going 0-2, "And they hit the ball a little bit better."

Harvard starter senior Mike Cicero pitched well for the first three innings, holding Dartmouth scoreless. After he gave up three runs in the fourth, the Crimson came back to score two to draw the game at three apiece in the top of the fifth. But the Big Green scored two in the fifth off Cicero, and he could not get out off the sixth. By the time senior Ben Allen closed the sixth (in which the Crimson committed a run-contributing error), the score was 8-4.

"They hit the ball well," Hochanadel said. "We had our chances to win, but our defense let down a little. We just didn't get the job done. They outhit us."

Senior Joe Weidenbach contributed a solid game, going 2-4 with two RBI. Senior outfielder Jamie Crowley, captain Bo Bernhard (who has come back strong from recent injury) and Doble also notched two hits.

Yesterday Dartmouth 6, Harvard 4(8 Inn.)

The comforts of home did not do much for Harvard. The first game yesterday was excruciatingly close, but to no avail for the Crimson faithful.

Harvard scored single runs in the first three innings to counter Dartmouth's two in the opening frame. After Dartmouth plated two more in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, Harvard came back to tie the game in the bottom of that inning. Neither team scored in the last two innings, sending the game into overtime.

However, with the help of some seeing-eye hits, the Big Green ended the suspense quickly, notching the two winning runs in the top of the eighth. Senior Jamie Irving, pitching right-handed, actually went into the extra frame, giving a gutty, shaky, poised performance. He ended up taking the loss to drop to 3-5, allowing six runs (five earned) and striking out six in seven-and-one-third innings.

"The first game [on Sunday] was like the first game [on Saturday]," said Hochanadel, who went 2-3 with an RBI and a double. "We didn't get the hits they needed, and they did. They scored the go-ahead run in extra innings on an infield single. They got a couple of cheap hits the last inning."

Doble again slammed a homer, going 1-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Bernhard also played another fine game, notching two hits, with an RBI and run scored, in four at bats.

Dartmouth 6, Harvard 1

This game lacked the drama of its immediate predecessor, but none of the pain. Harvard scored a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead, and it was way downhill from there.

The Crimson could only manage three hits (versus the Big Green's 12) all day against Dartmouth starter Travis Farrell. Throw in that the Crimson let three unearned runs cross the plate and committed two errors in the field, and you have the makings of just a bad game.

While this was perhaps the fitting end to the weekend, it nevertheless did not sit well with the players.

"In the second game, they jumped all over us," Hochanadel said. "Their pitcher was throwing pretty well. It has been that way all year. We've been competitive on any given weekend, but we just haven't got it done."

Hochanadel did say that the team probably did let down after the first three weekend losses, but his teammates and him did not make excuses.

"They outplayed us all four games," Vanksoski said.

Bernhard finished a stellar 7-12, one RBI weekend with 2-2 day.

On both days, close first games were followed by not-so-close second games. On Saturday, Harvard wasted a fine pitching performance by sophomore Frank Hogan in the opener to lose, 2-1. The Crimson then lost 8-4 in the nightcap.

Harvard lost yesterday's first game 6-4 in eight innings (doubleheaders only have seven innings of regulation), and the second game score was a more lopsided 6-1 contest in Dartmouth's favor.

These games marked the end of the Ivy League season for Harvard, and the Crimson could not overtake Dartmouth for second place in the Red Rolfe Division (Harvard was two games back going into the weekend). But as this disappointing season draws closer and closer to an overall close (the team has only three games left), the players insist that they have not allowed the letdowns to affect their performances.

"We have had so many disappointing losses," freshman outfielder Bret Vankoski said. "But that hasn't kept us from going out and trying hard. There are no real losers on this team, and we'll try to finish the best we can."

Saturday Dartmouth 2, Harvard 1

Hogan followed his excellent performance against Brown last weekend with another gem. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough Saturday as Harvard's bats could not support him.

Hogan (2-2), who has a team low 2.78 ERA, gave up only two runs (both earned) in a six inning complete game effort, giving up eight hits, one walk and striking out six. But the Crimson could only muster six hits and a run off Dartmouth starter Scott Simon.

"We hit the ball well," said sophomore shortstop Mike Hochanadel, who continued his torrid pace of late with a 2-3 day, "But we were hitting the ball right at people."

Vankoski echoed Hochanadel's sentiments.

"It was definitely a tough loss," said Vankoski, who went 1-2 with a walk. "We left too many runners on base [seven]. Frank pitched very well, and we hit the ball well too, but just right back at guys."

Harvard's only run came on junior catcher Dennis Doble's solo home run in the second inning, his first blast of the year. That run tied the game at one after Dartmouth scored in the bottom of the first. But the Big Green scored what would turn out to be the winning run in the bottom of the third.

Dartmouth 8, Harvard 4

This game wasn't close, courtesy of a eight run Big Green explosion from the fourth to sixth innings. Again, the Crimson hit the ball relatively hard (Dartmouth had only nine hits to Harvard's seven), but it wasn't enough. Harvard stranded eight runners, but the opportunistic Big Green left only five runners on base.

"We stranded too many runners," said Vankoski, who drove in a run and drew two walks despite going 0-2, "And they hit the ball a little bit better."

Harvard starter senior Mike Cicero pitched well for the first three innings, holding Dartmouth scoreless. After he gave up three runs in the fourth, the Crimson came back to score two to draw the game at three apiece in the top of the fifth. But the Big Green scored two in the fifth off Cicero, and he could not get out off the sixth. By the time senior Ben Allen closed the sixth (in which the Crimson committed a run-contributing error), the score was 8-4.

"They hit the ball well," Hochanadel said. "We had our chances to win, but our defense let down a little. We just didn't get the job done. They outhit us."

Senior Joe Weidenbach contributed a solid game, going 2-4 with two RBI. Senior outfielder Jamie Crowley, captain Bo Bernhard (who has come back strong from recent injury) and Doble also notched two hits.

Yesterday Dartmouth 6, Harvard 4(8 Inn.)

The comforts of home did not do much for Harvard. The first game yesterday was excruciatingly close, but to no avail for the Crimson faithful.

Harvard scored single runs in the first three innings to counter Dartmouth's two in the opening frame. After Dartmouth plated two more in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, Harvard came back to tie the game in the bottom of that inning. Neither team scored in the last two innings, sending the game into overtime.

However, with the help of some seeing-eye hits, the Big Green ended the suspense quickly, notching the two winning runs in the top of the eighth. Senior Jamie Irving, pitching right-handed, actually went into the extra frame, giving a gutty, shaky, poised performance. He ended up taking the loss to drop to 3-5, allowing six runs (five earned) and striking out six in seven-and-one-third innings.

"The first game [on Sunday] was like the first game [on Saturday]," said Hochanadel, who went 2-3 with an RBI and a double. "We didn't get the hits they needed, and they did. They scored the go-ahead run in extra innings on an infield single. They got a couple of cheap hits the last inning."

Doble again slammed a homer, going 1-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Bernhard also played another fine game, notching two hits, with an RBI and run scored, in four at bats.

Dartmouth 6, Harvard 1

This game lacked the drama of its immediate predecessor, but none of the pain. Harvard scored a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead, and it was way downhill from there.

The Crimson could only manage three hits (versus the Big Green's 12) all day against Dartmouth starter Travis Farrell. Throw in that the Crimson let three unearned runs cross the plate and committed two errors in the field, and you have the makings of just a bad game.

While this was perhaps the fitting end to the weekend, it nevertheless did not sit well with the players.

"In the second game, they jumped all over us," Hochanadel said. "Their pitcher was throwing pretty well. It has been that way all year. We've been competitive on any given weekend, but we just haven't got it done."

Hochanadel did say that the team probably did let down after the first three weekend losses, but his teammates and him did not make excuses.

"They outplayed us all four games," Vanksoski said.

Bernhard finished a stellar 7-12, one RBI weekend with 2-2 day.