Batsmen to Face Huskies at Fenway

The Beanpot. Where Boston collegiate sports climax. Where players wrestle with the shadows of Williams, Yaz, and Rice.

Ted Williams?

Fine, it's not the decades-old hockey beanpot. But it is the fifth annual baseball beanpot that gets underway today at Fenway Park.

And although the teams participating are not national powerhouses (unlike the version played on ice), the aura of Fenway always lends a play off-type atmosphere to the proceedings.

In today's second game, Harvard (11-6, 6-10 Ivy) will face tournament favorite Northeastern (20-7). Northeastern, not a perennial baseball power, has never won the Beanpot.

The Crimson's keys will be good pitching and good defense. It gave up 22 runs (seven unearned) in Sunday's two loses to Brown, after only allowing six runs (all earned) in Saturday's two wins against Brown.

After the weekend series, Harvard's pitching is thin. Coach Leigh Hogan '76 has not named his starters, but they will come out of a group that includes junior Jamie Irving (2-3, 5.23 ERA), junior Tim Vanech (1-2,3.77 ERA), junior Ben Allen (2-0, 3.68 ERA), and freshmen Sean Goldstein (0-1, 5.23 ERA).

Irving pitches from both sides, but following his complete game win on Saturday pitching southpaw, he would throw righthanded.

"I know they (Northeastern) hit the ball well," Irving said. "So we're going to have to pitch well, and avoid any defensive lapses."

In today's first game, scheduled to start at noon, Boston College (11-18) faces Boston University (2-26).

The Eagles, who beat Harvard in last year's final, 14-5, and has won three of four Beanpots, is in a rebuilding year, but is still heavily favored to triumph over the hapless Terriers.

The chance to play at Fenway always gives the players extra motivation--especially this year since the Crimson has been eliminated from the Ivy race.

And if Harvard should beat Northeastern and BC should beat BU, the chance to extract a little revenge on the Eagles (who have beaten Harvard the last two years) in tomorrow's final would present added incentive.

"The players are always focused in Fenway," Irving said. "But winning this year would definitely be a big plus for the season. And I'd love to face BC in the final. We haven't beaten them since I've been here."

Harvard, whose only Beanpot Championship came in 1992, will play without captain Mike Giardi, who broke his hand Sunday and is out for the year.

In addition junior catcher Bryan Brissette status is uncertain due to hamstring problems.