April 10, 2002

Baseball Team Sweeps Bearcats

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Playing its third series in as many days, Cornell traveled to Binghamton University yesterday for a two game set. The Red returned to Ithaca two games closer to .500, sweeping the Division I neophyte Bearcats by scores of 6-5 and 9-1. With the victories, Cornell improved to 9-14 on the season.

In the opener, sophomore infielder Dan Parant led the offensive attack with three base hits. His two run single in the second and RBI double in the fourth helped the Red claim a 6-0 lead.

Head coach Tom Ford praised the reserve infielder’s offensive contributions.

“Dan has really stepped up for us. He has filled in for three straight games because of some injuries, and he has just done a great job,” commented Ford.

Taking the mound for the Red in the first game was freshman Tad Bardenwerper, who pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowing only one earned run on four hits. Bardenwerper’s efforts were rewarded with his first collegiate victory, though the freshman’s strong outing was endangered when Binghamton University staged a seventh inning rally. A run scoring single with two outs in the final inning by Jamie Boyer cut Cornell’s lead to 6-5, but junior closer Dave Sharfstein ended the threat by striking out Bearcat Tony Berube. The save was Sharstein’s fourth on the year, already surpassing last year’s team total of three.

In the second game, senior right fielder and Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week Erik Rico put the Red on top early, continuing his torrid production with a first inning two run homerun. By the fourth inning, the Red had a comfortable 8-0 lead, cruising to the eventual 9-1 win. Rico had two of the team’s six hits in the second game, with Parant contributing a two run single, and junior Dave Bredhoff adding a seventh inning homerun that capped the scoring.

Sophomore pitcher Glenn Morris quieted the Bearcat bats over his four innings of work on the mound, giving up just one run on two hits. Morris also added nine strikeouts in a dominant performance. Binghamton native and junior reliever Mike Martino ensured that the Red would return to Cornell with a two game sweep, pitching three shutout innings.

Ford was enthusiastic about his team’s performance.

“We made the plays today. We made sure to take care of the ball, and Erik got us going in the second game with a big two run shot,” he said. “Glenn did a great job today as well, striking out nine guys.”

Happy with the two non-conference wins, Cornell remains focused on the all-important Ivy League campaign, needing to improve on its 1-3 league record. This weekend, the team will resume league play against Yale and Brown in a pair of doubleheaders, hoping to make up ground on Gehrig division leader Princeton, who has begun the season with an impressive 6-2 record.

Archived article by Mark Fetzko