Batsmen Sweep Providence

Ballplayers will tell you that it's hard to get up for non-league games, but the Harvard baseball team managed quite nicely Wednesday.

The Crimson swept a non-league doubleheader from Providence in Rhode Island, taking the opener, 3-2, in eight innings and nabbing the nightcap, 9-5.

Sophomore Mike Dorrington, who has been the Crimson's most dependable hurler this year, improved his season record to 6-3 in the opener. Dorrington scattered six hits and five walks over eight innings to keep the Friars at bay.

The Crimson scored against Providence pitcher Rick Keough in the first when designated hitter Greg Agran walked with one out and scored on Dan McConaghy's double.

Harvard also reached Keough for a run in the second inning. Third baseman Aron Allen singled and moved to second on Rich Renninger's walk. After a passed ball, Dave O'Connell drove in Allen with another single.

Keough escaped the inning without further damage, but Al Grossgouth came out in the top of the third to relieve him. Grossguth simply kept the Crimson hitless over the next 5 2/3 innings, retiring Harvard in order in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh frames.

Dorrington wasn't having much difficulty with the Friars either. With the help of three double plays, the powerful righthander kept Providence off the scoreboard until the bottom of the seventh.

Designated hitter Steve Wright led off the inning with a double, and Rob Fay followed with a homerun to tie the score at two and send the game into extra innings.

Harvard retook the lead with two outs in top of the eighth. Co-Captain Frank Caprio broke Grossguth's hitless spell with a single and scored on Co-Captain Frank Morelli's double to make the score 3-2. Dorrington retired the Friars in the bottom of the inning to earn the victory.

Harvard 9, Providence 5

Freshman Cody Weston pitched a seven-inning complete game to nab his first win of the season in the nightcap, 9-5.

Harvard touched Friar hurler Tim King for a run in the second inning when Allen--who had two hits, three runs and two RBIs in the second game--reached first on an error. After a sacrifice, Allen scored on a single by O'Connell.

Providence came back with two runs on four straight singles in the bottom of the inning, but Harvard tied the game in the top of the fourth. Allen singled, moved to third on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly and scored on a sacrifice fly by O'Connell.

The Friars scored again in the fourth to take the lead, but the Crimson blew open the game with four runs in the top of the fifth. Morelli led off with a walk, moved to second on Caprio's single and scored on a passed ball. After Allen walked, Renninger's three-run homer gave Harvard the lead it needed.