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Batsmen Clinch Share of GBL Championship
The Harvard baseball team had swept through its first six Greater Boston League games by a combined score of 63-9, with Brandeis, a 20-9 loser, the only team to tally any runs against Crimson pitching.
Yesterday at Soldiers Field all that changed.
It took a two-run, bottom-of-the-ninth rally for Harvard to outpunch Boston College, 9-3, and clinch its second straight GBL title.
The victory lifted Harvard's record to 17-8 overall, 7-0 in the GBL. With only MIT remaining on the Crimson's league schedule, 3-1 Brandeis still has an outside shot at grabbing a share of the GBI laurels.
In yesterday's game, the lead changed hands four times, B.C.--which Harvard posted, 15-0, three weeks ago--took an 8.7 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
Designated hitter Mickey Maspons led off the ninth with a walk, Elliott Rivera struck out, and Scott Vierra doubled to the gap in left, bringing Maspons home with the tying run.
The Eagles intentionally walked lay McNamara to set up the double play, and Mike Pakalnis struck out. Then center fielder Paul Vallone slapped a 1-0 fastball right of second and into center field as Vierra raced home with the winning run.
"I was just thinking '[hit one] through the box,'" said Vallone, who went three for four with a double, a walk and four RBI. The ninth hitter in the line-up is now batting .367.
For the Crimson, which is struggling to stay alive in the Eastern League pennant race, the game meant far more than just a second straight GBL title.
"This is more than just keeping our [GBL] record perfect," said Vierra, who scored the winning run. "I hope that it's going to carry over into this weekend," when Harvard hosts Yale and Brown, he added.
It was the Crimson's second come-from-behind victory of the year, the first in which the winning uncrossed the plate after the third inning.
"That's what we did all last year," Crimson Coach Alex Nahigian said. "That [the ability to come back] really helps the team."
Yesterday the Crimson opened the scoring in the second when McNamara singled home Rivera. B.C. jumped right back in the third, combining a walk, a single, an RBI grounder and a two-run Rocky Daley homer to stake a 3-1 lead off Crimson starter Jeff Musselman.
The Crimson tied things up in the fourth when Vierra singled, McNamara walked, Pakalnis grounded into a fielder's choice, and Vallone smashed a two-run double to left.
Chris McAndrews led off the Harvard fifth with his second homer of the year. Jim DePalo walked and reached third on a steal and an error. Rick Murphy dropped Rivera's sacrifice fly to right, and the Crimson captain wound up on second as DePalo crossed the plate.
With two outs, McNamara walked, Pakalnis loaded the bases on an infield hit, and Vollone drew a walk to force in another run.
Harvard led, 6-3.
The Eagles rallied back in the seventh, when Joe Giaquinto drew a leadoff walk and Peter Flyan launched a 380-foot homer to right field. Rick Murphy followed with a walk, and George Sorbara relieved Jim Chenevey on the mound. Daley walked, Larry Hill advanced the runners, and Jay Adams doubled down the line in right to give B.C. the lead.
John Schwegman's two-out single scored Adams to make it 8-6.
In the eigth, a Pakalnis walk, a Vallone single, a Tony DiCesare bunt and a McAndrews sacrifice fly narrowed the margin to one, setting the stage for Vallone's and Vierra's ninth-inning heroics.
THE NOTEBOOK: Mike Pakalnis played in place of the injured Bob Kay at second. Nahigian batted McAndrews second, with Rivera fifth and Maspons fourth...McNamara is now hitting .423, Vallone .367, Vierra .355 and Maspons .349...Reserve left fielder Frank Caprio is Harvard's leading hitter in GBL action (six for 11) ... Yesterday marked Harvard's 3000th game. There were two outs when the winning run scored. Game--Winning RBI--Vallone. DP--Boston College. E--Murphy, Schwegman, O'Nell, Pakalnis 2, Dicesare. LOB--Boston College 9, Harvard 10. 2B--Murphy, Adarns, Vierra, Vallone. HR--Flynn, Daley, McAndrews (2). SB--DePalo. CS--Giaquinto, DePalo S--Hill, Dicesare SF--R'vera, McAndrews. Chenevey faced three batters in seventh. HBP--DePalo by O'Nell. T--3:06. A--59.
There were two outs when the winning run scored. Game--Winning RBI--Vallone. DP--Boston College. E--Murphy, Schwegman, O'Nell, Pakalnis 2, Dicesare. LOB--Boston College 9, Harvard 10. 2B--Murphy, Adarns, Vierra, Vallone. HR--Flynn, Daley, McAndrews (2). SB--DePalo. CS--Giaquinto, DePalo S--Hill, Dicesare SF--R'vera, McAndrews. Chenevey faced three batters in seventh. HBP--DePalo by O'Nell. T--3:06. A--59.
There were two outs when the winning run scored.
Game--Winning RBI--Vallone. DP--Boston College. E--Murphy, Schwegman, O'Nell, Pakalnis 2, Dicesare. LOB--Boston College 9, Harvard 10. 2B--Murphy, Adarns, Vierra, Vallone. HR--Flynn, Daley, McAndrews (2). SB--DePalo. CS--Giaquinto, DePalo S--Hill, Dicesare SF--R'vera, McAndrews. Chenevey faced three batters in seventh. HBP--DePalo by O'Nell. T--3:06. A--59.
Chenevey faced three batters in seventh.
HBP--DePalo by O'Nell.
T--3:06. A--59.
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