Minutemen Topple Crimson Nine, 11-10 Lead Comes, Goes, Leaves for Good

It could have been the still-distant Leonard-Hearns title fight.

Quick left jabs, followed by a devastating right cross. In the middle rounds, a knockdown, then a sustained comeback capped by a flurry of punches-leading to a TKO-in the 15th round.

Only it wasn't boxing. It was baseball.

The final score was Umass 11. Harvard 10.

The Minutemen won it in the bottom of the ninth, reaching Harvard freshman left hander Dave Wanger-making his first appearance in more than three weeks-for three hits and two runs.

Wanger replaced started Bill Doyle with one on and nobody down in the top of the sixth, and did a decent job until the ninth. Then, with the Crimson, holding a 10-9 lead. Umass batters Barry Bennett and Mark Litano tied the score and put Wanger in a hold with back-to-back doubles. Two hitters later. Keith Lovellette won the game with a single to right that scored Litano.

Up untill the decisive ninth inning, the lead had changed or the score had been tied 10 times, a statistic more characteristic of basketball than the diamond game.

Don Allard started off the Crimson fifth with a round-tripper, giving Harvard an ephermeral 7-6 advantage. Ephermeral means it didn't last long, and after nothing more than a tantalizing shimmer, the lead was gone, victim of one Umass run in both the fifth and the sixth.

The Crimson tied it up yet again in the top of the seventh, scoring its eight run on a walk, a single, and a judgement from a benevolent umpire. Allard walked with one away, advancing to second on Chuck Marshall's grounder to third. Vinnie Martelli singled sharply to right, but Allard, trying to score on the hit, was apparently cut down by a strong throw in the plate.

"No," said an irate Allard, and "No," said an angry Alex Nahigian. Umass third sacker Barry Bennett had blocked Allard's path around the base.

Justice at Last

Overruling the plate umpire, the field ump agreed with Allard and Nahigian, granting the Crimson its eight run and a temporary tie.

With the preliminaries out of the way, the fun started. For keeps. After Umass went scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, the Crimson put together a pair of hits and some nifty baserunning to take a 10-8 lead going into the ninth.

Paul Chicarello singled to start the eighth, and moved to second when Bruce Weller worked Umass lefthander Steve Kramer for a walk. Following Brad Bauer's fly to center. Martelli had the last of five RBIs on a single to right.

With Allard at the plate, and Weller on third. Martelli broke for second. Kramer pivoted toward second, realized his mistake, and then turned toward home and fired to catcher John Kraham. Weller barrelled into Kraham, knocking the ball loose and scoring the Crimson's tenth run.

Umass then scored one in the eighth and two in the bottom of the ninth to take the game. UMass 11 Harvard 10 at Amherst HARVARD (10)  AB  H  R  BI Paul Chicarello, dh  3  2  3  0 Bruce Weller, cf  2  1  2  0 Brad Bauer, ss  5  1  1  0 Vinnie Martelli, if  5  3  1  5 Don Allard, rf  4  2  2  3 Chuck Marshall, 1b  5  1  0  0 Danny Skaff, 3b  4  1  0  1 Gaylord Lyman, 2b  5  0  0  0 Joe Wark, c  4  2  1  0 TOTALS  37  13  10  9 UMASS (11)  AB  H  R  BI Dean Bennett, 2b  5  1  0  0 Barry Bennett, 3b  5  3  2  1 Mark Litano, cf  5  3  3  1 Warren McRaddie, if  4  0  1  0 Jim Aulenback, dh  3  0  0  1 Keith Lovellette, if  5  4  2  4 John Kraham, c  4  3  2  0 Steve Hennesay, rf  3  0  0  0 Bruce Emerson, as  4  1  1  2 TOTALS  40  15  11  9 PITCHING  IP  H  R  ER  BB  K Bill Doyle  51  9  7  6  2  0 Dave Wanger  3.1  6  4  3  1  0 Tony Presnal  1.1  5  6  6  1  2 Steve Kramer  7.2  8  4  3  3  2

Winning Pitcher: Kramer (4-3); Losing Pitcher: Wanger (0-2);

2b: Wark, Litano, B. Bennett, Kraham; 3b: Martelli; HR: Allard SB: Chicarello, Weller, Martelli (2); Double Plays: Umass (1); E: Martelli, Doyle Marshall, Lovellette, Kraham; HARVARD  330  010  120-10  13  3 UMASS  400  211  012-11  15  2

Winning Pitcher: Kramer (4-3); Losing Pitcher: Wanger (0-2);

2b: Wark, Litano, B. Bennett, Kraham; 3b: Martelli; HR: Allard SB: Chicarello, Weller, Martelli (2); Double Plays: Umass (1); E: Martelli, Doyle Marshall, Lovellette, Kraham; HARVARD  330  010  120-10  13  3 UMASS  400  211  012-11  15  2