Crimson Nine Splits Doubleheader with Bulldogs

Don Gallagher set two modern Yale pitching records against Harvard last Saturday in New Haven.

His first bid for immortality came for allowing 12 walks in a seven-inning game (sounds promising for the homeschool heroes so far) but his other foray into the record books was for giving up the fewest hits in a seven inning contest--zero, zip, nothing.

The rest of the Yale squad tagged along behind Gallagher's no-hit hurling to spoil a fine pitching effort by newly elected captain Mike O'Malley, and eke out a 2-1 victory in the first game of a double-header. The Crimson nine stormed back with a vengeance, however, in the second encounter with an 11-hit, 8-run barrage and strong pitching from junior Jim Harrell to take the nightcap, 8-0.

The odds of winning one seemed stacked against Yale at the outset, as Ken MacKenzie's squad entered the EIBL twin bill with a 2-12 record (0-16 in the league). But Gallagher's unusual performance enabled the Elis to win their first from the Crimson since 1966, snapping a nine-game string for Harvard.

"Gallagher was wild enough to be effective," Crimson mentor Loyal Park said yesterday. "A lot of no-hitters are pitched that way. There was nothing to hit out there."

The Eli right hander managed to walk the first man in every inning and got into trouble in the first as Harvard scored what was its only run of the game in the inning. Ed Durso ran the circuit, reaching first on the customary lead-off walk, stealing second and finally scoring on a wild pitch to give Harvard a 1-0 lead.

Yale got it back in the bottom of the inning after Bill Westfall doubled and finally scored on a ground ball RBI off the bat of Greg Daniels. The winning run came in the sixth as Daniels crossed the plate on Gary Brewsaugh's bloop single. The run was unearned, however, as Daniels reached on an error.

Mound Wizard

O'Malley allowed only five hits in the contest and struck out seven. "It was amazing," O'Malley said. "They never really hit the ball hard off me. But you've got to expect one of those games to come around once in a while and Yale was due for a win."

It was the first loss in ten games for O'Malley, who had a spotless 7-0 record last season and was cruising along with a 2-0 slate this year.

"It was just one of those games," Park philosophized. "The kids played it right down to the line. It was a matter of inches."

The second game, however, was more a matter of miles as Yale hurlers Steve Niemczyk and Don Massey could not duplicate Gallagher's feat. Harvard pitching never let up as Harrell allowed only four hits and three walks in the shutout. "Jim is developing into quite a pitcher," Park commented.

On offense, designated hitter Joe Mackey provided the power in the nightcap with four RBIs on a pair of singles and a sacrifice in three trips to the plate. Mackey continues to be the hottest hitter on the club, picking up much of the offensive slack.

Hobbled Dave St. Pierre also chipped in a pair of RBIs as the right fielder went two-for-three at the plate, while center fielder Leon Goetz and first baseman Leigh Hogan each knocked in single runs. Harvard got three runs in the third, two in the fifth and three in the sixth to gain the Crimson's third EIBL win against one loss.

Despite the loss, Park has been pleased with the way the team has been playing especially the ever-improving mound corps of pitching coach Bob Lincoln. "All four pitchers (Milt Holt and Norm Walsh who hurled against Brown, as well as O'Malley and Harrell) did real well this weekend," Park said. "And with Driscoll coming back (he pitched a three hitter against MIT last Wednesday) we have a strong corps of five."

Park's squad will be looking to win its 14th of the year against four losses this Wednesday in a big GBL with Northeastern at Soldiers Field.