N.U. Out-Slugs Batsmen, 20-15

Harvard squandered its league title chances last weekend.

But after all the crushed-hope hubbub had died down, the squad had little choice but to show up for duty Monday afternoon at Northeastern's Parsons Field.

By the end of the game, all that the Crimson--which got swept by measles-free EIBL rival Dartmouth Saturday--had to show for its efforts was yet another loss, this time a 20-15 humdinger at the hands of the Huskies.

Monday's Greater Boston League (GBL) contest, eventually called for darkness after eight innings and almost four hours of play, was a pitcher's nightmare. The game's first two innings alone featured a total of 37 batters, 18 runs, 13 hits and 12 walks.

"It was a football game," said Northeastern Coach Neil McPhee. "Both teams used their front-line pitching over the weekend. After that there is a tendency for high-scoring games."

Both Harvard and Northeastern had played doubleheaders Saturday with division titles on the line. While Dartmouth was eking out a pair of one-run victories over Harvard, the University of New Hampshire was sweeping Northeastern for the ECAC crown.

Monday's win upped the Huskies' record to 20-13, but saw the Crimson drop to 17-7 on the year.

The game started with a bang, as Harvard tallied four quick runs off Northeastern pitching. After freshman left-fielder Greg Agran led off with a homer for the Crimson, Dan McConaghy doubled home Jim DePalo, who walked and moved to second on Captain Mike Pakalnis' single. Pakalnis and McConaghy both scored on a single by freshman second baseman Casey Cobb.

But the Huskies waltzed right back into the thick of things, pulling to within one on two walks and a three-run homer off Harvard starter Mike Dorrington.

Harvard rallied for four more in the top of the second, but Northeastern bounded to a 10-8 lead in the bottom half of the inning. Dorrington, Greg Ubert and Vic McGrady all saw pitching action in the seven-run second.

The slugfest didn't stop there.

Harvard scored one run in the third and four in the fifth--but Northeastern bundled together 10 runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to widen its lead to football proportions, 20-13.

Crimson outfielder Craig Boulris knocked in the 34th and 35th runs of the game in the eighth, when he smacked a two-run drive over the left field fence. Boulris had replaced Agran in the sixth.

Sophomore Dan McConaghy had the first varsity pitching appearance of his career in the seventh inning, when he migrated from centerfield to the mound. He allowed no hits and struck out three in two innings of work.

McConaghy, who had a single, double and three RBI Monday, now has a 0.00 ERA to go along with his team-leading .370 batting average.

When all was said and done Monday, the combined pitching staffs had yielded a total of 35 runs, 26 walks and 27 hits--including four doubles, a triple and three home runs.

The Crimson closes out its season this week with games today against Tufts and tomorrow at MIT.