Baseball Loses Fifth Straight

The Harvard baseball team fell 4-2 to Yale yesterday in New Haven, Conn., extending its losing streak to five games and putting its chances of qualifying for the Ivy League playoffs in serious jeopardy.

A lack of timely hitting spelled doom for the Crimson (15-20, 8-6 Ivy), who has now lost three of its four meetings with the Bulldogs (12-27, 3-13) this season.

Those three defeats account for Yale's only three victories in Ivy League play.

"We haven't played up to our potential at all," said junior center fielder Scott Carmack. "We're pretty much down in the dumps right now."

With the loss, the Crimson, who has won the Red Rolfe Division title for the past four years, now finds itself on the brink of elimination from postseason play.

In order to advance to the playoffs, the Crimson must win all six of its remaining Ivy League games, including four games against first-place Dartmouth. Harvard would then finish in a tie atop the division standings, forcing a one-game playoff with the Big Green for the right to play for the Ivy championship.

"Regardless of how we've been playing, we still have a mathematical chance of staying in this thing," Carmack said. "We're lucky to have that chance. All the guys know that."

Against Yale, Harvard starter Ben Crockett (3-3) lasted just 3.1 innings, surrendering four runs on eight hits before being lifted in favor of senior Derek Lennon.

The outing was Crockett's second straight in which he failed to advance past the fourth inning. He has now dropped his last three decisions.

"Ben's arm is tired," Carmack said. "Our pitching schedule has been messed up because of the rain. Ben's been throwing a lot--probably more than he should--because of the weather."

Harvard actually got on the board first yesterday, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Junior left fielder Joe Llanes started off the inning with a single to left, and then moved to second on a sacrifice by sophomore second baseman Faiz Shakir.

After sophomore shortstop Mark Mager popped out to second base for the second out of the inning, Carmack struck a double to the gap in left-center to score Llanes.

Batting out of the clean-up spot, Carmack went 2-for-3 with a walk on the afternoon.

The Crimson's stay on top did not last long, however, as the Bulldogs responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second.

Yale catcher Darren Beasley and designated hitter Dave Fortenbaugh incited the rally with back-to-back singles.

Crockett then made an errant throw on a pick-off attempt, allowing the runners to move into scoring position.

A sacrifice bunt and an RBI-single by the next two batters gave Yale a 2-1 lead.

Harvard was able to tie the game in the third, as Shakir hit a one-out single that brought Llanes, who had doubled, around from second.

Yale, however, pounded out two more runs in the bottom of the third, putting the Bulldogs ahead to stay.

Yale reliever Jon Steitz (2-4) held Harvard scoreless over the next six innings, striking out nine en route to the win.

The Crimson did have a chance to tie the game in the fourth, as it had two runners in scoring position with just one out.

But Steitz got Harvard seniors Jeff Bridich and Eric Binkowski to strike out looking, stifling any chance for a potential rally.

"Clutch hitting has been the problem all year long," Carmack said. "We've had a fair amount of hits, but we haven't been able to string them together."

Harvard coach Joe Walsh had only 17 players at his disposal yesterday, since several players could not travel with the team because of classes. Among those not making the trip to Yale were junior first baseman John Franey and sophomore catcher Brian Lentz, two of the Crimson's regular starters.

"We missed those guys," Carmack said. "Fortunately we'll have them back this weekend."

To say the least, Harvard will need all the help it can get when it plays four games in two days against Dartmouth this weekend.

The Crimson, whose eight league losses this year is the most a Harvard team has suffered since Walsh took over as coach, has not defeated any team four times this season.