Baseball Takes Three of Four from Army

The Harvard baseball team concluded its spring break trip by taking three out of four from the Army Knights. The Crimson (10-8) defeated the Black Knights (10-8) on Thursday at the New York Yankees Spring Training Complex in Tampa and took both games of Saturday’s doubleheader in Clearwater before falling 6-5 in the series finale.

The team went 5-5 in a brutal Florida stretch of 10 games in nine days but took five of the final six. This was the team’s final stretch before the Ancient Eight regular season begins Saturday.

“We have to stay motivated each day,” said senior second baseman Jake McGuiggan. “The desire to win was very high and heading back up north with a 10-8 record, we’ll definitely take that in good spirits and look forward to this coming weekend.”

ARMY 6, HARVARD 5

Harvard was unable to complete a four-game sweep of Army, falling Saturday afternoon in the series finale. Senior closer and typical Sunday starter Tanner Anderson gave up six earned runs in seven and a third innings of work.

The Crimson took a 4-1 lead after a three-run sixth inning, but Army rallied back with three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to go up 6-4. In the top of the ninth, freshman Conor Quinn reached on an error and was driven in by junior DJ Link.

Seniors Steve Dill and Mike Martin both flied out to strand pinch runner Matt Sanders at second to give Army the win. Martin and Link led the Harvard offense, combining for three hits and three RBIs.

HARVARD 8, ARMY 3

Matt Timoney threw six innings of two-run ball in Friday’s second game to lead the Crimson to a doubleheader sweep of the Black Knights. The senior righty surrendered just two runs and struck out four to pick up his team-leading third victory of the season.

With Harvard trailing 2-1 entering the bottom half of the sixth, the offense responded with a four-run sixth and a three-run eighth. The Crimson’s offensive attack was balanced in the penultimate game of the series, receiving nine hits from seven players.

The bottom third of the batting order, consisting of junior designated hitter DJ Link, Quinn, and sophomore first baseman Matt Hink, drove in four runs. Captain Ethan Ferreira and freshman leftfielder Matt Rothenberg each had two-hit days for Harvard.

“Coach definitely tries to put together a lineup that one through nine is a threat to get on base,” McGuiggan said. “Over the last six games, everyone collectively did pretty well and that’s a testament to how hard guys have been working.”

Sophomore Greg Coman and junior T.J. Laurisch teamed up to record the final nine outs for the Crimson.

HARVARD 8, ARMY 5

After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, starter Nick Gruener and Harvard roared back to take Friday’s first game.

After tying the contest in the top of the fifth, the Crimson’s offense tore the game open with a six-run seventh. Army committed three errors, Harvard scattered five hits, and McGuiggan hit his second home run of the season to put the Crimson up for good in the big inning.

Between the second and sixth innings, Gruener threw five scoreless frames. The sophomore’s only trouble of the day came in his first and last innings. The Miami native was touched up for three runs in the seventh and was replaced by junior Sean O’Neill, who recorded the last three outs of the game.

“In all four of the games, [the starting pitchers] were able to go deep and that really helps keep the staff intact,” sophomore reliever Kevin Rex said. “We’re able to have fresh arms even in the tenth game of a week. Our pitching staff has matured a lot from last season and we know how to manage our arms better.”

HARVARD 11, ARMY 8

Propelled by a four-run fourth inning and big offensive days from seniors Ferreira and McGuiggan, Harvard took the first game of the series with the Black Knights on Thursday afternoon in Tampa.

Ferreira drove in four runs and hit his second home run and fifth double of the season while McGuiggan scored three runs and chipped in three hits.

“I think our offense, and at times our defense, was really solid and that was awesome to see,” Rex said. “I think that’s a great sign going into Ivy League play.”

Junior Sean Poppen got the start for the Crimson and gave up six earned runs in six and a third innings. The righty struck out six before turning it over to freshman Ian Miller, who picked up his first collegiate win. Fellow first-year Dylan Combs recorded the final two outs in the ninth to salvage the victory.