Freshmen Leading the Way

Dan Zailskas became the second freshman in as many games to pick up his first collegiate win yesterday, going six innings and allowing only two earned runs in the Crimson’s 9-4 victory over the University of Rhode Island in nonconference action at Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I.

After recording a one-pitch save for freshman Eric Eadington Sunday against Cornell, senior Jake Bruton pitched three innings of one-run relief of Zailskas (1-0).

Nick Greenwood (0-3) took the loss for the Rams (8-18, 3-3 Atlantic 10), getting roughed up for eight earned runs on seven hits in three-and-a-third innings. His teammates banged out 12 hits to Harvard’s nine, but couldn’t turn rallies into runs.

Junior Matt Vance got the Crimson (10-11, 5-3 Ivy) off to a quick start in the top of the first, following singles by junior Jeff Stockel and captain Brendan Byrne with a left-center home run into the wind.

Vance turned in a tough at-bat, going down 0-2 and fouling off several pitches before launching his first round-tripper of the season.

“Stoeckel and Byrne had line drives off a guy who’s a pretty good, hard-throwing left-hander,” coach Joe Walsh said. “When [Vance] got down 0-2 I thought I should have bunted the runners over, but then just like that it’s 3-0 three hitters in.”

“Getting runs on the board early is definitely something we’ve been focusing on after the first game of last weekend (a 6-4 loss to Princeton),” Byrne added. “We’ve come together as hitters and talked about focusing on approach, cutting down on strikeouts and trying to put the ball in play. I think it’s really helped us the past few games.”

In the bottom half of the frame, Zailskas started off wildly by hitting his first two batters. But the freshman worked his way out of trouble, getting Allen to ground into a 4-6-3 double play and striking out slugger Ryan Cunningham looking.

“[Vance’s home run] gave me a little confidence to go right after hitters,” Zailskas said. “I started off a little rough, but I got a ground ball and we’re pretty solid up the middle defensively.”

After the game, coach Joe Walsh echoed Zailskas’ praises of his middle infield, calling it “the hub of our ballclub.” While Harvard hitters are still warming up in the cold April weather, the Crimson defense has kept the team in games.

“We’ve just been playing so well together up the middle, and that’s what we’ve really got going for us right now,” Walsh said. “Pitchers start saying ‘I’ve just got to get a ground ball,’ and we’re hoping for a double play. It’s such a mental thing for them, to know that they don’t have to strike guys out.”

Harvard poured it on with five runs on six hits in the fourth inning, when the Crimson chased Greenwood with RBI singles from junior Matt Kramer and freshman Ben Rabinowitz. Stoeckel and Byrne followed with RBI singles of their own to give Zailskas some more breathing room. But Zailskas never completely found his groove, allowing the leadoff man to reach in each of the first five frames and never retiring the side in order. Though he scattered nine hits over his six innings, Zailskas also recorded five strikeouts—none bigger than the punchout of Cunningham in the first inning.

“I entered the game thinking, ‘If we can get three or four innings out of him, I’ll feel really good,’ never thinking that we would get six,” Walsh said. “But he was really battling and throwing strikes, and we got into a good rhythm with him.”

The Marshfield, Mass. native has already impressed at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI double in Saturday’s win over Princeton and scoring three runs in Sunday’s sweep of Cornell.

After last weekend saw freshmen Max Perlman and Eric Eadington pick up wins against Ivy rivals Princeton and Cornell, respectfully, Zailskas became the latest member of the rookie class to make his presence felt on the hill.

“We have a very strong freshman class,” Zailskas said. “It’s just an honor to be part of the team, to be contributing and getting us as many wins as possible.”

Harvard, which has won four straight games, returns to action this afternoon against Boston College. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at O’Donnell Field.

—Staff writer Emily W. Cunningham can be reached at ecunning@fas.harvard.edu