'Cats Top Crimson In Opener

Ever since Abner Doubleday tossed out the first pitch in Cooperation around 1860, the key to success at baseball has been pitching and defense, pitching and defense, pitching and defense.

Harvard's 1-0 loss to New Hampshire yesterday at Soldiers Field had great pitching. Eight pitchers -- four on each team -- combined to allow no earned runs in nine innings.

But the defense? While it was occasionally spectacular, the teams combined for four errors, including a second-inning error by junior shortstop Mike Giardi that led to the game's only run.

Wildcat rightfielder Doug Spoffard led off the second inning against senior chip Poncy and reached first base when Giardi couldn't quite glove his dribbler up the middle. Spoffard stole second and scored two outs later on centerfielder Bob Jordan's single to right.

The Wildcats needed no more, Harvard left six men on base, and Wildcat reliever Gardner O'Flynn struck out sophomore James Crowley, sophomore Bo Bernhard and junior Eric Weissman on 13 pitches in the bottom of the ninth for the save.

"Our pitching was great and our defense was solid," Harvard Captain Mike Hill said. "I don't know why the hitting wasn't there. We were hitting the ball hard, and when you get pitching like that..."

Hill trailed off. Pitching, last year's Achilles heel, has been this team's strength and was exceptionally strong yesterday.

Trying to save his pitchers for this weekend's Ivy matchups, Harvard Coach Leigh Hogan rotated Poncy (one hit in two innings), junior Jeff Mitchell (one hit, three K's in three innings), sophomore Jamic Irving (pitching lefthanded, no hits in two innings) and freshman chip Harris (one hit, two K's in two innings) to maximum effect.

But the hitting...while Harvard held UNH to three hits. UNH held Harvard to just four. This from a team whose overall batting average was more than.300 last year.

"It's tough," Hill said. "We're going to light it up. This team can hit. We'll just have to get in the cage and start ripping."

Harvard's best chance to score came in the eighth. With no outs, centerfielder Juan Zarate blooped a double into short right and advanced to third on pinch-hitter freshman Mike Levy's sacrifice bunt.

But Hill, the leadoff batter, grounded weakly to first against the drawn-in infield.

Giardi drew a walk, and first baseman junior Dave Morgan blasted a 2-0 pitch from O'Flynn 400 feet into dead center field.

Unfortunately, the fence was 410 feet from the plate.

Jordan made the grab on the fly and crashed into the fence--but held onto the ball to end the Crimson threat.

In the fourth, Harvard had runners at second and third with two outs, but sophomore second base-man Ho Bernhard looked at strike three to end the inning.

Wildcat reliever Jim Collins, who pitched three innings in relief of starter Erik Mayo, walked two and struck out one for the win.

THE NOTEBOOK: The professional scouts turned out in force to watch Mitchell pitch. Mitchell's fastball was clocked at 87 miles per hour, according to one bystandar...Also overheard from the scouts, about the ambidextrous Irving: "Too bad he's not a closer. With two arms, he could pitch every day of the wee. Cheaper, too."

Irving topped out at 82 miles per hour on the guns...Harvard successfully executed its second double steal of the season when Morgan and sophomore designated hitter James Crowley took second and third in the fourth inning UNH, 1-0 at Soldiers Field           R  H  E UNH  010  000  000  --  1  3  2 Harvard  000  000  000  --  0  4  2

HR:UNH-None; Harvard-None.3B:UNH-None; Harvard-None (2).2B:UNH-None; Harvard- Weissman, Zarate.E:UNH-Ivens, Tsiamis; Harvard-Giardi (2).

WP:Collins; LP:Poncy (1-2)

HR:UNH-None; Harvard-None.3B:UNH-None; Harvard-None (2).2B:UNH-None; Harvard- Weissman, Zarate.E:UNH-Ivens, Tsiamis; Harvard-Giardi (2).

WP:Collins; LP:Poncy (1-2)