Runs Aplenty Open Year

When the cloud of red clay settled in Lubbock, Texas, one thing was certain—it was a wild opening weekend for the Harvard baseball team.

A tripleheader of slugfests on Saturday saw the Crimson set all-time records for runs scored and runs allowed, and a pitching gem yesterday solidified Harvard’s rotation.

But the extraordinary weekend ended with Harvard a very ordinary 2-2, after sweeping a pair of games with Air Force and falling twice to Texas Tech.

Sophomore Frank Herrmann (1-0)—who pitched all of three innings last season—earned the complete game victory in the Crimson’s 5-1 win over Air Force yesterday, calming the storm of scoring enveloping Harvard.

“Yeah, I was a little bit [nervous],” Herrmann said.

“The first couple of games had been like a video game. We had been putting up football scores. But the guys just told me to go out there and throw strikes and that everything would work out...and it did.”

In its first three games—all played on Saturday—the Crimson allowed a combined 68 runs, including 30 in a 30-8 loss to Texas Tech Saturday night.

That came after opening its season with a 25-20 monstrosity of a win over Air Force (4-8) on Saturday morning.

HARVARD 5, AIR FORCE 1

Herrmann scattered eight hits and struck out six batters over nine innings in his first career start to earn the win.

“He looked really good,” junior catcher Schuyler Mann said. “His velocity was good. His curve ball and change up were very good.”

Playing as the home team, Harvard jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

A walk by sophomore second baseman Zak Farkes and a double by senior first baseman Trey Hendricks put runners on second and third for sophomore third baseman Josh Klimkiewicz. Klimkiewicz drove in both runs with a single to left field.

Harvard pushed a run across the plate in both the third and fifth innings to raise its lead to 4-0, before the Falcons finally got to Herrmann in the eight inning.

Herrmann hit Air Force’s leadoff batter Josh Wolfram to open the frame. Wolfram advanced on a single and a sacrifice fly, then scored on a balk to break up the shoutout.

Hendricks finished the game 3-for-5, while Farkes, Klimkiewicz and freshman outfielder David Bach each had a pair of hits.

TEXAS TECH 30, HARVARD 8

Immediately after roughing up the Harvard pitching staff in the first game of a doubleheader, the Red Raiders racked up 12 runs in the first 3 1/3 innings to chase senior Mike Morgalis (0-1) from the mound on their way to an emphatic 30-8 victory.

Texas Tech scored runs in every inning but the second—and plated more than five runners in four separate frames—to rack up the highest single-game scoring total ever by a Harvard opponent.

The Crimson allowed 25 runs two seasons ago in a loss to Dartmouth.

Right fielder Madison Edwards paced the Red Raiders, going 5-for-6 with a home run and five RBIs.

Hendricks led the Crimson with three hits, while Farkes and Herrmann both homered in the loss.

TEXAS TECH 18, HARVARD 6

Sparked by a seven-run third inning, the Red Raiders cruised to an 18-6 win over Harvard in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday, pounding out 11 hits in two innings off of the Crimson’s ace Hendricks (0-1) in the process.

Already leading 7-4, Texas Tech put six straight men on base to open the third, leading Harvard coach Joe Walsh to pull Hendricks for sophomore Javier Castellanos. But three-hole hitter Michael Mask welcomed Castellanos to the game with a three-run homer. It was one of three homers for Mask during the game.

For Harvard, Hendricks, Mann and Klimkiewicz all homered, while sophomore right fielder Lance Salsgiver was the only player with two hits.

HARVARD 25, AIR FORCE 20

Talk about opening your season with a bang.

In an offensive explosion unparalleled in Harvard history, the Crimson rapped out 20 hits—including five home runs—in a slugfest win to open its season Saturday morning.

“I don’t think any one of us could expect to hit that well in our first game,” Mann said.

“But Lance [Salsgiver] started it off with a hit, then Farkes got a hit. It’s contagious.”

The 25 runs were the most ever scored by Harvard against a Division I opponent.

Mann finished the game 4-for-6 with two homers and six RBI, while Farkes went 5-for-7 with a pair of homers and three RBI in a tantalizing display of power.

Harvard led 12-1 through two innings, but the Falcons rallied for 11 runs in the bottom of the third, chasing Crimson starter Matt Brunning (0-0) from the game.

Harvard answered in the fourth, however, reclaiming the lead on a two-run home run by Salsgiver, who finished the game 4-for-6 with five RBI.

Jason Brown (1-0) took the win for Harvard.

—Staff writer Lande A. Spottswood can be reached at spottsw@fas.harvard.edu.