Harvard Coughs Up Early Lead in Beanpot

BOSTON—A year after capturing its first-ever baseball Beanpot crown, Harvard relinquished the title to crosstown rival Boston College.

The Crimson (18-15-1) was overwhelmed by the Eagles (22-20-1) in a 10-2 defeat that ran the team’s losing streak against BC to eight games and established the ACC squad, despite Harvard’s recent Ivy League success, as the local powerhouse.

“I feel each year that it creeps away that there becomes a difference in the schools,” Crimson coach Joe Walsh said. “And I don’t want to have that gap. [BC] means a lot more than a lot of other teams on our schedule because New England’s so important to us.”

Staked to an early lead, ace Shawn Haviland, on the heels of another Ivy Pitcher of the Week honor, could not cage the high-flying Eagles. After retiring the side in order in the first, Haviland ran into trouble in the second, surrendering four runs on three hard hits. The tail end of the lineup did most of the damage. Number eight hitter Ryne Reynoso drove in the tying run with a double and Pete Frates followed with a two-run single up the middle.

“We really wanted to go after the Beanpot today,” Haviland said. “Hopefully we would jump out to an early lead, we did, and I didn’t really pitch very well. I have to hold them to zero.”

Adam Cole also logged two innings on the mound for Harvard as BC extended its advantage to 5-2 on another RBI from Reynoso, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

The Eagles tacked on another run in the fifth and two more in the sixth off fellow freshman Hampton Foushee. Frates, a triple short of the cycle on the afternoon, took Foushee deep to right in the sixth, sending one over the 380-foot sign in right field into the waiting glove of senior Matt Brunnig in the bullpen.

“These guys swing it pretty good,” Walsh said of the BC order. “I didn’t know whether the 3-guy was a 9-guy or the 9-guy was a 4-hole. Top to bottom, pretty good lineup.”

Brunnig, who shuttled to the plate to take his third at-bat out of the designated hitter spot—he went 0-for-3—before returning to the pen to continue his warm-ups, entered the game in the eighth and also fell victim to the lethal Reynoso-Frates combination. The duo, which finished the day a combined 7-for-7 with seven RBI, strung together back-to-back singles to key a two-run rally.

“They’re a good hitting team,” Haviland said. “Their last two guys going 7-for-7 is pretty good evidence of that.”

The Crimson took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Lance Salsgiver ripped a double off the famed Green Monster in left field, driving in Matt Vance and Chris Mackey, who reached on a walk and hit by pitch, respectively, to lead off.

BC starter Ted Ratliff escaped the jam, working around an error, by striking out Steffan Wilson and Morgan Brown.

“The first inning we had a couple of runs,” Walsh said, “But I knew playing these guys we were going to need more. It was disappointing [that] we didn’t get quality outs. If we had scored four runs, I think that would’ve given us enough juice.”

Ratliff settled down to retire ten straight hitters and 18 of the next 20 he faced. He finished his complete game with nine strikeouts and only three hits allowed. Ratliff also baffled Harvard in the two teams’ previous meeting, permitting one hit and fanning seven in a seven-inning appearance.

“[Ratliff] is going midweek,” Walsh said, shaking his head. “He’d go right at the top of my rotation on weekends. There’s a difference there.”

Meehan, who worked the ninth in relief, singled in the fourth and Matt Rogers stroked a single in the ninth for Harvard’s only other hits besides Salsgiver’s rocket.

“No excuses,” Walsh said. “They’re just a better ballclub.”

—Staff writer Jonathan Lehman can be reached at jlehman@fas.harvard.edu.