Fort Devens Socks Crimson, 8-4

Two fat early innings, each of which produced three runs, enabled Fort Devens to outlast the Crimson nine at Soldiers Field yesterday afternoon, 8 to 4, in a chilly contest played before at least 20 spectators.

Like the Coast Guard team which appeared here last week, the soldiers were loaded with major league, minor league and collegiate aces. The biggest name of all, Al Roberge, former Boston Braves infielder, had a somewhat miserable day, going out meekly in his five trips to the plate.

Three Runs in First

Brendon Reilly started for the Stahlmen, and the lads in khaki jumped on him for their first trio of scores in the very first inning. Two infield singles and a walk loaded the bases, which were promptly cleared by Walt Cassell, former Boston College first sacker, who unloaded a long double down the left field line.

Harvard replied with three of its own in the second, Jumping on Ed Murphy, who was a Crimson nemesis when he hurled for Holy Cross last year. Ned Fitzgibbons took three bases to start the rally, when center fielder Gene Czaplicki manhandled his blast to left center. Fitz scored on Roberge's boot of Bob Slattery's ground ball, and singles by Sherm

The Crimson baseball team has a return engagement with the Boston Coast Guard this afternoon at 4 o'clock at Soldiers Field. The Guardsmen feature ex-Cleveland Indian catcher Jim Hegan.

Clark and Jay Gleason loaded the bases.

At this point Reilly walked, to force in one run, and Walt Sorgi hit a single to left, tying the score. With the bases loaded and only one out, however, Brooks Health and Danny Shields, latest Crimson third sacker, failed to produce.

But Reilly couldn't hold the lead, and the soldiers bunched three singles and a walk, after two were out, to go ahead 6 to 3 in the third, and Murphy succeeded in bearing down in the pinches thereafter. Dick Harding relieved Reilly, and allowed two runs and three hits in the five frames he worked.

Harvard's fourth score came in the seventh, when Shields singled, took second on an error, third on a fielder's choice, and tallied after Bob Slattery's fly to center.

The Harvard summary:   ab  r  h  po  a  e Sorgi, 2b  5  0  2  1  3  1 Health, lf  4  0  0  1  0  0 Shields, 3b  5  1  2  2  2  2 Fitzgibbons, c  5  1  1  4  0  0 Flynn, cf  4  0  0  1  1  0 Slattery, 1b  5  1  0  15  0  0 Clark, rf  4  1  1  3  0  0 Gleason, ss  3  0  1  0  1  0 Reilly, p  0  0  0  0  5  0 *Wilcox  0  0  0  0  0  0 **Wolfe  0  0  0  0  0  0 Harding, p  2  0  0  0  3  0 Total  37  4  7  27  15  3 *Batted for Reilly in 4th inning. **Ran for Wilcox in 4th inning.

Innings  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Ft.Devens  3  0  3  0  0  0  2  0  0-8 Harvard  0  3  0  0  0  0  1  0  0-4

Runs batted in--Sorgi, Slattery, Reilly. Left on base--11. Struck out--by Reilly 1, by Harding 3. Bases on balls--off Reilly 2, off Harding 4. Hits--off Reilly 7 in 4, off Harding 3 in 5.

Innings  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 Ft.Devens  3  0  3  0  0  0  2  0  0-8 Harvard  0  3  0  0  0  0  1  0  0-4

Runs batted in--Sorgi, Slattery, Reilly. Left on base--11. Struck out--by Reilly 1, by Harding 3. Bases on balls--off Reilly 2, off Harding 4. Hits--off Reilly 7 in 4, off Harding 3 in 5.

Runs batted in--Sorgi, Slattery, Reilly. Left on base--11. Struck out--by Reilly 1, by Harding 3. Bases on balls--off Reilly 2, off Harding 4. Hits--off Reilly 7 in 4, off Harding 3 in 5.