Arizona Sweeps Baseball in Three-Game Set

Playing over 2,200 miles from home, the Harvard baseball team’s season-opening three-game series against No. 7 Arizona came to a disappointing end, as the Wildcats (8-2) defeated the Crimson (0-3), 13-2, at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz. on Sunday. The Wildcats’ rout belied strong performances from the Crimson in games on Friday and Saturday.

“Every game we expected to win,” sophomore outfielder Jack Colton said. “We know we can hit anyone, and our pitchers can get anyone out.”

ARIZONA 13, HARVARD 2

Though the Wildcats’ lineup did its share of damage, registering 13 hits against Harvard, the Crimson’s six errors in the field did not help its cause. The three runs allowed by Harvard starter Jacob Kremers were all unearned, though the freshman still received the loss. Freshman Tanner Anderson relieved Kremers and allowed five runs in one and two-thirds innings, though only one of those was earned.

“You can’t make six errors and expect to beat anyone,” Colton said. “We kind of fell apart. We didn’t play good baseball, and they took advantage.”

And with Arizona playing solid ball defensively, Harvard never had a chance to get back into the game. The Wildcats didn’t commit an error behind starting pitcher James Farris, who threw seven innings and allowed just two runs on eight hits.

While Arizona was playing its 10th game of the season, the Crimson struggled to shake off its winter rust, playing on an outdoor surface for the first time in 2012.

“It’s definitely a disadvantage going outside for the first time and trying to get our timing down,” Colton said. “It’s so different from playing inside the bubble. It will take us some time to get used to playing outside, but I was surprised how well we played and how loose we were.”

ARIZONA 3, HARVARD 1

Harvard gave Arizona a scare in Saturday’s matchup but fell, 3-1, in a contest marked by missed opportunities.

A Crimson fielding error in the fourth inning extended the frame for Arizona, and with two outs, Wildcats Riley Moore and Brandon Dixon stroked back-to-back RBI doubles, scoring the first two runs of the game.

The score remained 2-0 into the seventh inning, when Harvard loaded the bases with nobody out, following a walk, single, and hit batsman. But Harvard was unable to capitalize. Arizona pitcher Konner Wade forced a pop out and a double-play ball to escape the danger unscathed.

In the eighth inning, the Crimson again looked to close the gap with the Wildcats, as an error and bunt single moved runners to second and third with no outs. Sophomore right fielder Carlton Bailey was tagged out at home on a fielder’s choice groundout, but Harvard responded, again loading the bases with a walk by senior second baseman Jeff Reynolds.

The next batter, senior first baseman Marcus Way, finally put the Crimson on the scoreboard with an RBI groundout, but with two outs and a chance for Harvard to tie the game, Arizona reliever Matthew Troupe struck out pinch hitter junior Robert Wineski, ending the threat.

Despite the loss, the team was encouraged by its ability to defy expectations and hang with one of the elite teams in the country.

“I don’t think they expected us to come out as hard as we did,” Colton said. “The results weren’t really there, but we showed glimpses that we can do some things this year.”

ARIZONA 7, HARVARD 1

Harvard found itself stifled in its season opener Friday by a dominating pitching performance from Arizona right-hander Kurt Heyer and lost to the Wildcats, 7-1.

Heyer overpowered the Crimson hitters with 14 strikeouts in the complete-game victory. The Crimson did manage six hits, but the lone run Heyer allowed in his nine innings on the mound came on a solo home run by freshman outfielder Brandon Kregel.

Heyer’s Crimson counterpart, Harvard senior Brent Suter, held Arizona hitless through three innings before allowing three runs in the fourth. The Wildcats pulled away later in the game, scoring two runs each in the sixth and eighth innings off Crimson relievers senior Conner Hulse and junior Matt Doyle.

“It was a lot more competitive than the score showed,” Colton said. “We’re a pretty young team, a little inexperienced, but we’ve got some players. We totally expect to be competitive and win a lot of games. We’ve can surprise a lot of teams.”