NOTEBOOK: Pitching Duo Finds Success Back-to-Back

For seniors Javy Castellanos and Matt Brunnig, a day like yesterday has been a long time coming.

Castellanos (2-3) pitched six strong frames, fanning five and allowing two earned runs en route to his third career win. Meanwhile, Brunnig—his classmate and housemate—contributed seven innings on the hill, striking out five while surrendering just four hits and one run.

For two pitchers whose track records have been heretofore plagued by inconsistency, however, they also achieved something far more important: spots in Harvard’s weekend rotation.

“Me and Matt have been buddies since freshman year,” Castellanos said. “We’ve been waiting to go back-to-back for four years now.”

Castellanos zoomed through the early innings, at one point retiring 10 straight Lions, using a hard fastball and a mix of sliders and curveballs to keep Columbia off balance as the game got out of reach.

Brunnig, meanwhile—once known more for his intriguing ambidextrousness than his mound presence—is finally establishing himself as a dependable force.

“He finally did it today, and I’m real proud of him,” Castellanos said. “He’s worked real hard, through a lot of injuries and minor things and stuff. He put it all together today and we reaped the benefits.”

RUNNING TO STAND STILL

Unfortunately for the rest of the Ivy League, a torn labrum won’t be keeping Matt Vance from the lineup. Or the basepaths. Or even center field.

The sophomore speedster will remain a fixture at the top of the Crimson order and will continue to man the outfield, rather than slide into the designated hitter’s slot as once speculated.

Doctors have informed him that his labrum has been torn to the point where it cannot suffer any further damage, and so he will undergo shoulder surgery after the season and then begin a summer-long rehabilitation process, which should leave him ready for the fall of 2006.

As for right now, Vance says that the injury does not bother him at all hitting-wise. His performance yesterday would confirm as much, as the sophomore reached base six times—once with a walk, thrice via hit-by-pitch—and scored five runs. He also stole two bases in two attempts, upping his league-leading total to 14.

Fielding, however, might be a somewhat different story. Although Vance showed no problems defensively in center against Columbia—he even dived on the grass on a handful of occasions—he said his throwing has noticeably suffered.

“I just can’t get a whole lot on the ball,” he said. “Everyone says I’m throwing it fine, but it hurts, a lot.”

A SORT OF HOMECOMING

It’s hard to believe that sophomore Steffan Wilson had not hit a home run at O’Donnell Field until yesterday.

It was harder to believe that fact when the Crimson’s slugging third baseman hit two in two games.

Wilson paced the Harvard offense yesterday, going 2-2 in the first game with one walk, one home run, and five RBI, while going 1-3 with two RBI, one walk, and a moonshot to left field in the second.

“We love it when he’s up with guys on,” Vance said. “He makes things happen. He’s a clutch player.”

Wilson now leads the Crimson with a .373 average and a .699 slugging percentage. He also paces the team in home runs (five), doubles (ten), total bases (58), and is second in RBI (27, behind senior Josh Klimkiewicz’s 28).

SHORT HOPS

Sophomore catcher Matt Kramer incurred a bit of controversy in the first game when he slid hard into second base, spikes up, successfully preventing a double play. Unfortunately, Columbia second baseman Kyle Roberts was hurt and left the game. After protestation by Lions coach Brett Boretti, Kramer would have a ball thrown behind him, a ball thrown near his head, and a ball thrown far inside by Daniel Bajger in his next at-bat...Captain shortstop Morgan Brown did not play in either game after pulling his quadriceps on Saturday against Penn. “He’s done it before, but this time he did it real good,” Walsh said. Brown remains day-to-day...If you had any doubts as to the manliness of baseball: fresh off an appearance on the popular “Colbert Report,” Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield ’53 was in attendance at O’Donnell Field for Game One.

—Staff writer Pablo S. Torre can be reached at torre@fas.harvard.edu.