Baseball Works Kinks Out in Florida

Erratic offense and some untimely errors plagued the Harvard baseball team at the Homestead Challenge in Florida last week. Playing 11 games in eight days, the Crimson posted a 3-8 record against some tough competition, bringing its overall record to 3-11.

“It was a learning experience for the team,” captain Ben Crockett said. “There were a lot of positives to be taken from the trip. In general, our pitching and defense were pretty solid. The hitters have really come along, especially since we faced some of the top pitchers around.”

Harvard travels to Kingston, R.I. on Wednesday to face URI in the first of four upcoming road games.

Lafayette 5, Harvard 1

Lafayette catcher Craig Alexander had three hits and caught Marcus Ward’s second complete game of the year as the Leopalds rolled over the Crimson, 5-1. Ward struck out 10 and scattered Harvard’s five hits over five innings.

The Crimson jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second when sophomore DH Trey Hendricks hit his second home run of the year. But the lead vanished in the fourth inning when senior third baseman Nick Carter committed a throwing error, leading to an unearned run that tied the score at 1-1. Lafayette added one more run in the inning to take the lead for good.

Senior hurler Justin Nyweide dropped to 1-2 on the year despite striking out 11 Leopards in eight innings.

Harvard 10, Lafayette 3

Last Thursday, the Crimson earned its third victory of the year with a strong offensive showing, breaking open the game with seven runs in the sixth inning.

With Harvard trailing 3-2 with one out, clean-up hitter Schuyler Mann began a string of five straight hits that plated three quick runs for the Crimson, giving it a 5-3 lead.

After a dropped fly ball off the bat of senior Faiz Shakir allowed another run, senior Chaney Sheffield singled down the left field line to plate two more.

Crockett (1-1) took full advantage of the ample run support, overcoming some fielding miscues in the fifth inning that led to three unearned runs. Crockett struck out nine in seven strong innings, winning his first game of the year and lowering his ERA to 1.54.

Harvard 6, Saint Thomas 2

Junior Madhu Satyanarayana (1-1) posted his first win of the year last Wednesday, allowing one earned run in a complete-game effort. Satyanarayana struck out eight Bobcats and walked none in the victory.

Down 1-0 after one frame, the Crimson immediately made up for a Shakir error that led to the unearned Bobcat run. Sophomore Marc Hordon doubled in Sheffield in the bottom of the first to tie the game.

Harvard then took the lead for good in the second with an unearned run of its own. Sophomore Mickey Kropf singled and advanced to second on a balk. Kropf reached third on a groundout to first and scored when pitcher Johnny Mauri mishandled Shakir’s grounder.

The Crimson added three more unearned runs in the sixth off of two St. Thomas errors to seal the win.

Florida Atlantic 11, Harvard 0

The Crimson proved to be no match for the Owls, who won their 16th straight game of the season with their third shutout of the year last Tuesday.

Florida Atlantic starter Matt O’Brien was rested after just three innings, allowing the Owls to cycle through six relief pitchers, who combined to strike out eight.

Harvard was able to muster just three hits on the night, and junior Matt Self allowed seven runs—six earned—in 5.1 innings in his first start of the season.

Ohio State 9, Harvard 0

After six innings of scoreless play last Monday, a balk plated the eventual winning run for the No. 23 Buckeyes, ending a shutout bid by Sheffield (0-1). The Crimson relief pitching then allowed Ohio State to post a blowout, giving up six runs in 3.2 innings.

Christian Snavely scored the difference-maker, and then Doug Dendinger hit a two-run homer two batters later for a 3-0 Buckeye lead.

Ohio State scored four runs in the ninth off of two balks and a wild pitch by junior T.J. Sevier. With one out, junior Ryan Tsujikawa entered the game for the Crimson, and Harvard’s fourth balk of the night led to Ohio State’s ninth run.

Northwestern 9, Harvard 4

In its eighth consecutive loss to Northwestern and second in as many days, Harvard was frustrated by Wildcats’ starter Ryan Bos last Monday afternoon. Bos struck out six Crimson players in eight innings to post the win.

Senior Mike Dryden (0-1) gave up four runs in 4.1 innings, and the Harvard offense—though it outhit the Wildcats 13-12—was unable to put together any rallies.

Northwestern 5, Harvard 1

Northwestern’s Gabe Ribas proved too much for the Harvard offense to handle last Sunday night, as he struck out six in eight strong innings.

Carter drove in freshman Ian Wallace with his second double of the year to stake the Crimson to a 1-0 lead in top of the first.

But Harvard’s bats then fell silent, while the Wildcats mounted a late offensive surge. Northwestern tied the game in the fifth and scored the winning run in the sixth.

In his first start of the season, Hordon (0-1) allowed just two runs in six innings and struck out two.

Harvard 3, Lafayette 2

Snapping a six-game skid, Harvard rode a complete-game effort by Nyweide and a three-run fourth to defeat the Leopards Sunday.

Doubles were Harvard’s weapon of choice in the fourth inning. as Wallace led off the frame with a two-bagger down the leftfield line. Carter followed up with a double of his own, tying up the game at 1.

Two batters later, Hendricks singled to drive in Carter, giving Harvard the lead. Senior Mark Mager then plated the eventual game-winner with his first double of the year.

Nyweide held off the Leopards in the seventh, when an error by Shakir loaded the bases with just one out. The senior righthander retired the next two batters on a lineout and groundout to strand the three runners.

Nyweide ended the day with nine punchouts.

Ohio State 5, Harvard 3

The Crimson was unable to take advantage of five Ohio State errors last Saturday, as Buckeye senior E.J. Laratta pitched a complete game, allowing no earned runs and racking up seven strikeouts.

Crockett threw seven strong innings with a season-high 12 strikeouts but received a no-decision, having left when the game was 2-2.

Hendricks (0-1) received the loss after giving up three runs in the eighth. Greeted with a triple to start the inning, Hendricks gave up two more singles and hit a batter, departing with the score 4-2.

Sevier then walked the bases loaded, only to walk in another run for Ohio State.

Harvard mounted a ninth-inning threat and pulled within two with an unearned run. But Mager—representing the tying run at the plate—lined out to centerfield to end the game.

Drexel 3, Harvard 0

A costly error by Mager in the third inning led to three unearned runs off Satyanarayana, who lost in his first start of the season. The game lasted six innings because of rain.

With two men out, Mager made an errant throw that allowed Drexel’s Harry Ley to get on base. Two singles later, the Crimson found itself down 1-0. Bruce Boehm doubled in two more runs before the inning ended.

Greg Barnett held Harvard scoreless in six innings, striking out three and walking none.

Illinois-Chicago 5, Harvard 1

In its first Florida game, the Crimson was unable to overcome Larry Banks seven-strikeout, complete-game effort.

Illinois-Chicago junior Weber Brown powered the Flames offense with a two-hit, three-RBI performance.

Harvard’s lone run came in the seventh, when junior Brian Hale drove in Hendricks with a double to center.

Junior Barry Wahlberg (0-2) received the loss, allowing five runs in eight innings with five strikeouts.