Crimson Out-Slugged Out West

The Harvard baseball team is not in Kansas anymore, and that’s probably a good thing.

The Crimson had a rough start to its 2008 campaign this weekend after getting swept in a three-game set against No. 16 Wichita State in Wichita, Kan.

Harvard (0-3) was blown out by the Shockers (7-3) by a score of 16-3 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.

The Crimson was on the brink of victory in the nightcap, but Wichita State rallied to tie the game and force it into extras.

Yesterday’s series finale resulted in a 13-2 rout of the Crimson and capped a disappointing weekend.

“We have to shake off those cobwebs every year that first weekend,” captain Matt Vance said. “We’ll get better.”

WICHITA STATE 13, HARVARD 2

A relentless Shocker lineup struck hard and often yesterday, scoring 13 runs in a rough day for the Crimson pitching staff.

In his first career appearance, sophomore Jonathan Strangio got the start for Harvard, giving up six runs over four innings of work.

“It’s always tough,” senior pitcher Sean Haviland said of making one’s first start. “You’re always a little jacked up. Once [Strangio] battled through those nerves he really settled in. For a first effort we saw a lot of good things.”

Senior and first baseman Matt Kramer paced the Harvard offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Junior Ryan Watson and freshman Ben Sestanovich each pitched an inning, giving up three runs apiece before sophomore Dan Zailskas gave up a run in two innings.



WICHITA STATE 11, HARVARD 10

While the second game of Saturday’s twinbill was the closest the Crimson came to victory this weekend, it was also Harvard’s most disappointing loss.

Down 5-0 in the top of the eighth inning, the Crimson offense suddenly came alive. After Harvard manufactured a trio of runs, it loaded the bases for junior Harry Douglas, who crushed a grand slam to put Harvard ahead, 7-5. The Crimson would score once more in the eighth and post a pair of runs an inning later to take a 10-5 advantage into the bottom of the ninth.

But shaky pitching from Watson and Zailskas and an error created an opening for the Shockers, who put together five runs to force a tie. Wichita State won the game in the 10th off of a wild pitch by Cole.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re playing the Yankees,” Haviland said. “We shouldn’t blow a five-run lead in the ninth inning. As [Harvard coach Joe Walsh] likes to say, we have to learn how to go for the jugular and put teams away.”

Haviland started the game for Harvard, putting in a workmanlike seven-inning outing in which he gave up five runs but struck out eight.

“He missed a few times...but he threw his butt off for us that game,” Vance said. “We were disappointed that we couldn’t finish it for him.”

WICHITA STATE 16, HARVARD 3

The Shockers had no trouble solving each of the three pitchers the Crimson sent out in the first game Saturday.

Wichita State tagged sophomore Eric Eadington for six runs over four innings.

“Boomer came out and, as I kind of did in my first start, he walked the joint,” Haviland said. “After the second and third inning he settled in and showed what kind of pitcher he can be for us.”

Senior Max Warren and freshman Anthony Nutter combined to give up 10 runs in the final five innings.

One bright spot for the Crimson was Douglas, who hit his first of two homers of the series. Douglas was hampered by injuries in his first two seasons with Harvard.

—Staff writer Loren Amor can be reached at lamor@fas.harvard.edu.