Baseball

First baseman Pete Bernhard lashed a 350-foot home run in the last half of the ninth inning Saturday to give the Crimson a 4-1 victory over the Tufts freshmen on Harvard's home field.

It was a pitchers' duel all the way, as Harvard's Curt Tucker fired a three hitter, at one point striking out eight batters in a row. The Tufts hurler held the Yardlings to only four hits.

Harvard scored in the first inning when right fielder Brad Fenton stole home on a passed ball. Tufts came back in the third to score one run on two hits.

With one out in the ninth Dan Demichele led off with a walk, stole second, and reached third when the catcher rifled the ball over the second baseman's head in an attempted pickoff. The Yardlings' big catcher, Pete Varney, drew an intentional walk bringing up Bernhard. As soon as he hit the ball and Demichele crossed the plate, the game was over. But Bernhard rounded the bases in sheer joy, sliding home on his face.

The win boosted the freshmen's undefeated record to 7-0. Today the Yardlings journey to Dartmouth to play the Big Green freshmen.