Crimson Nine Captures Two of Three

There was nothing left for Harvard's baseball team to do last weekend but to play the role of spoiler in the EIBL race. And spoil it did, as the Crimson squad nailed contender Princeton. 3-1, on Friday, then edged hopeful Navy, 6.5. in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday to squash the hopes of the Midshipmen.

The first order of business was a Friday afternoon tilt with the Tigers of Princeton with pitching ace Milt Holt taking to the mound to face Princeton's best. Mark Softy.

First Bite

Thought the Tigers took the first bite, it was Harvard that laughed last as the Crimson wiped out a 1-0 Princeton lead with a two-run eruption in the seventh and a one-run uprising in the ninth that closed the door on the Tigers' EIBL title hopes.

While the Crimson batters were putting three runs on the board. Holt was busy keeping the Tigers at bay. The senior struggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, then stranded two Tiger runners in each of the last three innings to record his fourth victory of the year against as many losses.

With Princeton dispatched from the FIBL race. Harvard traveled to Annapolis to face a Navy squad which needed two victories to the Pennsylvania for the EIBL championship.

After two innings of the twin bill opener. Harvard trailed the Midshipmen 6-0, and things were looking up for the title-bound Navy nine. Though the Crimson pushed across five runs in the final four innings, they were not enough to overcome the bulge. The final was 7.5. Navy, but the momentum of the late Crimson rally carried over into the critical second game.

Title Hopes Aweigh

With a share of the Fastern crown hanging in the balance for Navy. Harvard put together two walks, a sacrifice, a ground out and a Navy error to take a 2-0 lead in the second When the Midshipmen knotted the game in the fourth. It was left to Crimson second baseman Jim Thomas to emerge as the hero of the weekend.

An error and two walks loaded the bases for Harvard in the tension-packed fifth inning, setting the stage for the first home run of Thomas's Harvard career. The grand-slam drive to right field sent the Crimson to a 6-2 lead, but the game was far from over. In fact, things were just getting warmed up. The fireworks were yet to come.

Navy picked up two in the sixth, then loaded the bases against Crimson starter Mark Linchan. A sacrifice fly to center made the score 6.5. with runners on first and third and two outs.

Milt Holt came in to relieve, and produced a clutch strikeout. The game wasn't quite over, however to the ball popped out of catcher Dan Williams's glove and the batter took off for first.

Williams's throw drew Hogan off the bag at first, but Harvard managed to force the runner going from first to second to and the game as the Midshipmen left the using run at third.

The dramatic 6.5 victory left Harvard in third place at the end of the EIBL season, but it was a classy was to step down from a five year hold on the championship of Eastern collegiate baseball.