Crimson Nine Whips Northeastern, 9-5

The Bike Memorial Trophy is as good as in Harvard's hands once again. In case you didn't know, the Bike Trophy is the one given each year to the winner of the Greater Boston Baseball League, and the Crimson nine all but wrapped it up yesterday with a 9-5 win over Northeastern at Parson's Field.

The Harvard victory snapped the Huskies' ten game winning streak. Northeastern now stands at 6-1 in the GBL. Harvard boosted its record to 5-0, and barring a disaster at Brandeis next week should remain undefeated in local competition.

Ed Durso and "Rico" Bridich carried the big bats for the Crimson as each came up with three RBIs and three hits. The game wasn't a rout all the way, however, as the Huskies jumped on starter Norm Walsh for back to back home runs by Dave Midungo and Mike Archambault for a two run lead in the first inning.

It took Harvard until the fourth inning to work its magic, as Northeastern began its traditional "big GBL game with Harvard" clutch. Harvard sent 11 men to bat and came up with the six runs needed to curb the Huskies.

High-Scoring Inning

Kevin Hampe led off the inning with a walk, followed by Leigh Hogan's single and an error that allowed Jimmy Stoeckel to reach and load the bases. Center fielder Tom Rezzuti robbed Dave St. Pierre of a hit with a nice diving catch, but Hal Smith, Ric LaCivita and Bridich made up for it with three straight singles. Walsh walked and Durso cleared the bases with a three run double. Suddenly it was a 6-2 ballgame.

Northeastern closed the gap in their half of the fourth, as they came up with three runs, but that was all they would be allowed. Midungo grabbed his second hit of the game as he singled to start things rolling. He advanced to third on a walk and a fielder's choice by Tom Burke and came across the plate on Rich DeCristoforo's RBI single. Burke then scored on a sacrifice by Steve Kring and pinch hitter Mel Seibolt drove in DeCristoforo with another single.

Walsh and reliever Mike O'Malley, who came on in the fifth, combined to limit the Huskies to seven hits. O'Malley gave up just two of them to pick up the save while striking out six.

Out of Reach

Durso and Bridich each drove in a run in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Bridich doubled to score Smith and then scored himself, jogging from third to home after Durso's single. Bridich picked up his third RBI in the eighth as his third hit sent Ric LaCivita scampering home all the way from second.

The win was satisfying, as the pitching depth showed up well again. Walsh, who had his first start of the season, ran into some trouble in the first and fourth innings, but retired the side in order in the second and third. O'Malley faced no more than four men in any inning.