Batsmen Have 1-2 Weekend

In retrospect, the Harvard baseball team was lucky Donnie Allard was called out at the plate, although Alex Nahigian didn't think so at the time.

"That call really brought us together." Paul Scheper said of an attempted steal of home in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Cornell that got Nahigian ejected for the second time in his Harvard career.

After dropping a 9-3 decision at Army Friday and losing, 5-1, to Cornell's Greg Myers in Saturday's opener, the Crimson was in danger of getting swept on the season's final weekend when Allard knocked Brad Bauer home from second in the top of the fourth for a 1-0 Harvard lead. A Danny Skaff single sent Allard to third moments later, and when Jay Kobylarz. Cornell's classy southpaw, went into his stretch for the 0-2 delivery to Joe Wark. Skaff broke for second and Allard broke home on a delayed double steal.

Kobylarz looked to second, hesitated, and then whirled and threw home, apparently too late to catch the sliding Allard. But plate umpire Tony Chicarelli's out call negated the run...and infuriated a disbelieving Harvard contingent.

"I was standing right there," captain Wark said, "and he was just safe. I mean, he got to home plate before the ball did."

Apparently, Nahigian saw things the same way, because he bolted from his perch in the visitors dugout to jaw it out with Chicarelli. The conversation continued until the arbiter bounced Nahigian, making Wark manager and Chuck Marshall acting manager while Wark caught.

The resulting intensity was more important than the lost run. "We all huddled in front of the dugout and got intense," Scheper said. "Alex getting kicked out was the catalyst."

Riding sophomore Billy Doyle's best performance of the season the rest of the way, the Crimson took a 3-1 decision to end the campaign with a 17-14 overall record. With Doyle's curve--missing in action for most of the spring--keeping Cornell off balance, and shortstop Bauer ranging far into left field for a game-saving grab with two out in the sixth. Harvard ended a disappointing reign as EIBL champs with a one-game winning streak.

Myers, now 7-1, had ended all hopes of a Crimson sweep with a superlative performance in the opener. He no-hit Harvard for the first six and two-thirds innings of the seven-inning game, losing that and the shutout when Vinnie Martelli tripled and scored on an error with two out in the seventh.

That loss gave the batsmen a 5-7 league record, insuring a sub-.500 EIBL performance for the first time since 1976.

Friday, Army's Ted Brudvig seven-hit Harvard, allowing a three-run homer by Bauer and little else. The round-tripper, a fifth-inning shot that scored Scheper and Bruce Weller for the Crimson's only runs, was the shortstop's third of the year. He led the squad with four last season. at Army Harvard  000  030  000--3 Army  222  200  100--9

Harvard: Smerczynskl (L), Curtin (3), Sorich (4) and Wark; Army: Brudvig (W) and Toth. HR--Davia, Bauer. at Cornell First Game Harvard  000  000  1--1 Cornell  030  101  x--5

Harvard: Brown (L) and Wark; Cornell: Myers (W) and Menepace. at Cornell Second Game Harvard  000  101  1--3 Cornell  000  001  0--1

Harvard: Dovle (W) and Wark; Cornell: Kobylarz (L) and Menepace.

Harvard: Smerczynskl (L), Curtin (3), Sorich (4) and Wark; Army: Brudvig (W) and Toth. HR--Davia, Bauer. at Cornell First Game Harvard  000  000  1--1 Cornell  030  101  x--5

Harvard: Brown (L) and Wark; Cornell: Myers (W) and Menepace. at Cornell Second Game Harvard  000  101  1--3 Cornell  000  001  0--1

Harvard: Dovle (W) and Wark; Cornell: Kobylarz (L) and Menepace.

Harvard: Brown (L) and Wark; Cornell: Myers (W) and Menepace. at Cornell Second Game Harvard  000  101  1--3 Cornell  000  001  0--1

Harvard: Dovle (W) and Wark; Cornell: Kobylarz (L) and Menepace.

Harvard: Dovle (W) and Wark; Cornell: Kobylarz (L) and Menepace.