Baseball Splits Four With Ivy Rival Penn

By wpengine | April 28, 2003

After failing to preserve leads in 6-3 and 7-5 losses on Saturday against Penn (22-17, 12-8 in Ivy) at Hoy Field, Cornell’s baseball team (15-16, 8-8) responded with a sweep yesterday against the Quakers behind the pitching performances of freshman Rocky Collis and junior Chris Schutt in 2-1 and 12-2 victories. The result keeps the Red’s slim postseason chances alive after Lou Gehrig division leader Princeton (20-17, 11-3) split with Columbia yesterday.

“We played good baseball the past couple days. We played consistently in all four games, but we just didn’t come up with enough hits or key pitches on Saturday like we did on Sunday,” said head coach Tom Ford, assessing his squad’s play.

In the series opener, a RBI double by freshman second baseman Seth Gordon and a RBI single by junior designated hitter Ned VanAllan gave the Red a 2-0 lead in the third. The Quakers quickly rallied to take the lead with three runs in the fourth and fifth innings before the Red tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth when senior first baseman Jim Jackson’s RBI single scored junior right fielder Jon Finch.

However, the tie was shortlived when Penn sluggers Nick Italiano and Andrew McCreery hit back-to-back home runs, giving the Quakers a 6-3 victory in seven innings. McCreery finished the game 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, leading the Quakers’ 11-hit attack. Gordon and Finch led the Red with two hits each, with both scoring a run. Gordon added an RBI, while one of Finch’s hits was a triple.

Right-handed starter Dan Baysinger absorbed the loss, falling to 4-2 on the season. The junior lasted 6 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.

In the nightcap, the Red scored single runs in each of the first three innings to jump out to a 3-0 lead, but saw another early lead evaporate. Junior pitcher Dan Gala limited the Quakers to just two runs in seven innings, but Cornell’s bullpen was not up to the task.

After falling behind 5-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Red’s bats awoke from a slumber when sophomore shortstop Matt Miller and Schutt came through with clutch RBIs to send the game into extra innings. Nonetheless, sophomore Tad Bardenwerper and junior Luke Staskal could not silence the Quakers’ bats in the 10th, giving up two runs. Though facing only two batters, Bardenwerper picked up the loss, falling to 0-1.

Yesterday, freshman Rocky Collis ensured that that the bullpen would be unnecessary, pitching a complete game gem in the opening 2-1 win. Collis notched his first complete game of the season, improving to 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA. The freshman allowed just one earned run on six hits and two walks, striking out seven Quakers.

“I’ve been feeling really good lately,” said Collis. “I have a lot of confidence going out there and the defense has been playing really well behind me. That made it really easy for me to just out there and pitch my game.”

Collis was not the only freshman to come through in the clutch for the Red, however. Heading into the bottom of the ninth knotted at 1-1, a trio of freshman engineered the winning run. Michael Weiss and Matt Goodson each came through with pinch-hit singles, while Gordon followed with a two-out RBI single to lift the Red to the victory. Gordon finished the game 2-for-4, adding the game-winning RBI.

“It felt great to get the game-winning hit. I wasn’t doing too well earlier in the season, but the more playing time I get, the better I’ve been able to play. But, it wasn’t only me today coming through,” commented Gordon.

In the final game of the four game series, Schutt was his usual dominant self on the mound, pitching eight strong innings, giving up only two unearned runs on five hits. He struck out 10 and walked four, improving to 3-4 on the season.

“I don’t go out there now and try to do anything different from early in the season,” said Schutt about his late season dominance. “I just go out there and trust my defense and try to hit my spots. Other than that, I can’t really explain my success.”

It was Schutt’s fifth consecutive start with double-digit strikeout totals, lifting his yearly total to 77 in just 55 2/3 innings. Opposing batters have hit just .190 against him as he has compiled a sterling ERA of 1.98, garnering the attention of professional scouts throughout the Northeast.

“There were quite a few scouts out there watching him today and he’s certainly deserving of it. He’s really become one of the best pitchers in our league and is just dominant at times. He’s got a lively fastball, and both his slider and curveball are plus pitches,” said Ford of his ace.

Schutt was the welcome recipient of unusual run support, as the Red matched its season high with 12 runs on 12 hits. Finch’s sixth inning grand slam broke open a close game, making it 6-0, and the Red added six more runs in the eighth to cap scoring.

Finch paced the team with four RBI, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Senior Mike Martino was 2-for-4 also, contributing a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning. Gordon continued his weekend tear, going 3-for-5 with one run and three RBI. Overall, Gordon went 7-for-18 on the weekend with five RBI and two runs scored.

The Red returns to play tomorrow against Siena for a doubleheader, before finishing its season against Princeton.

Archived article by Mark Fetzko

Women's Lacrosse Upsets No. 15 Stanford

By wpengine April 29, 2003

The women’s lacrosse team defeated No. 15 Stanford (11-4), 12-9, yesterday on Schoellkopf Field to finish the season strong after Saturday’s heartbreaker at Yale. It was the 400th game in program history. With the victory, the Red (9-5) remains unbeaten against the Cardinal all-time, with a 5-0 series record. "I’m really pleased with the effort," said head coach Jenny Graap ’86. "I felt that we were intense on ground balls, hustling, and it just seemed like we played with a lot of passion." Stanford got on the board early, scoring 48 seconds into the game. However, the Red quickly responded and mounted an impressive run. Sophomore Lindsay Steinberg got the offense started for the Red, as she intercepted a pass in the offensive zone, and beat the lone defender back for the score. Senior Sarah Averson added a tally of her own soon after, as junior Jamie Quinn found Averson all alone in front of the net. Junior Kate Hirschfield put the laxers up by two, connecting on a shot right in front of the net. After the Cardinal called timeout to try to regroup, the Red continued to add to its lead. Sophomore Julia Hughey connected on a pass from Steinberg, who added her second tally of the day soon after on a free position shot. Averson extended the lead to 6-1 after taking a pass from freshman Allison Schindler. "Part of strategy against Stanford was to transition down quickly, move the ball quickly, and throw the feed quickly," Graap commented. "They play a zone defense, which is a little different defensive look, and we just wanted to attack them in transition when they were vulnerable and before they had time to set it up." Stanford went on a run of its own, scoring the next three goals to cut the Cornell lead to 6-4 with 10 minutes to go in the first half. Steinberg answered right back, though, as she hit the back of the net with a shot through traffic. The Cardinal closed the gap again with 30 seconds left in the half. In the opening minute of the second half, Stanford’s Sarah Bach cut the lead to 7-6, as she dropped a shot into the net from the left side while falling down. Steinberg added her fourth goal of the game four minutes later on a shot from the top of the arc, but Stanford connected on a free position shot to cut Cornell’s lead to one. The Red never let the Cardinal get any closer, as it jumped ahead with a four-goal spurt in the middle of the half. Sophomore Annie Berkery started the run, causing a turnover while Stanford changed goalies. Both teams sprinted down field, and Schindler fed Steinberg for her fifth goal of the game before the new Stanford goalie could get settled. Steinberg tallied her second assist of the day with 13 minutes left in the game, as she fed the ball to sophomore Kristin Smith, to give the Red a 10-7 lead. "Steinberg … was not only good scoring goals, but she had assists today, and she was hustling in the ride, getting stick checks and tackling back on people," said Graap. "I really think this was one of the most outstanding games she’s played in her career." Stanford gave the Red a scare in the closing minutes of the game, as it tacked on two more goals to bring the score to 12-9. The Red’s defense kept the game from getting any closer, as junior goalie Ashley Charron making some clutch saves late in the game. "Stanford’s a great team and they never died, fighting right until the end. I think the defense did a good job under pressure." said Graap. Charron finished the day with seven saves. In addition to her career-high five goals and two assists, Steinberg scooped up a career-high six ground balls and caused two turnovers, while senior co-captain Rachel Friedman led the team with seven ground balls.Archived article by Jonathan Auerbach
Top Ten Freshmen

By wpengine April 29, 2003

They arrived on East Hill wide-eyed and full of dreams, and for some in this year’s freshman class those visions were realized. After two semesters, countless grueling hours of practice, and season full of blood, sweat and tears, these individuals have distinguished themselves on the local, regional and national scene. They are the Cornell Daily Sun’s Top 10 Freshman Athletes. Stefano Caprara, Men’s Swimming and Diving One of the top rookies in the Ivy League, Caprara quickly became one of the swimming team’s top contributors. Besides earning six top-10 finishes at the EISL meet, he also set a school record in the 200-yard backstroke. It wasn’t the only time he’d crack into the books, however, as Caprara assisted on two relay records and earned one more individual before the season’s end. Lenny Collins, Men’s Basketball While most freshman forwards don’t see much of the hardwood, Collins was not the typical rookie. He averaged 8.2 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals to lead all Ivy freshman. At the same time, Collins hit 80 percent of his free throws, nearly half of his shots from the field, and over a third of the 3-pointers. The freshman also started 20 of 27 contests, becoming an integral part of the offense. After a phenomenal freshman season and seven Ivy League Rookie of the Week awards, Collins was crowned the league’s Rookie of the Year — the first Cornellian to earn the award in 10 years. Shannon Fraser, Women’s Soccer It took just 75 minutes for Fraser to establish herself as an offensive power at Cornell. The freshman assisted on junior Emily Knight’s game winner in the team’s first game of 2002, and never looked back. Fraser continued to play the role of assist maker, recording five on the season, as she and the team made an ECAC post-season run. The freshman also netted three goals, to finish as the team’s second leading scorer. Andrew George, Men’s Soccer When everything else seemed to go wrong during the men’s soccer season, George always seemed to stand out, often providing the vital offense spark. George played in each of the team’s 16 matches, leading the team in scoring with three goals and seven points. George was also second on the team in shot percentage. Dustin Manotti, Wrestling While there may be some who believe that sophomore Travis Lee is the pinnacle of Ivy wrestling, they probably haven’t had the chance to watch Manotti on the mat. The 149-pound grappler was consistently in the national rankings during his rookie season, and for good reason. Manotti went 33-10 in a season that saw Cornell rise to the top of the Ivies. Powered by Manotti and his key individual wins, the Red won its 24th Ivy title, and first since 1995. The freshman went on to earn All-American status at the NCAA wrestling championships and was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year for his efforts. Matt Moulson, Men’s Hockey Despite missing the first four games of the season, Moulson broke into the top line of the men’s hockey team and produced some incredible results, including a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four. Freshest in the minds of most fans, the rookie almost single-handedly ended the Dartmouth jinx, recording the Red’s first hat trick in five years in the process. Moulson picked up several accolades including ECAC Rookie of the Week, and USCHO.com’s Division I Offensive Player of the Week honors for his weekend efforts. Jen Munhofen, Women’s Hockey If scoring was a question mark heading into the 2002-03 women’s hockey season, Munhofen was easily the answer. Despite her age, the rookie led the team in scoring with five goals, and had seven assists to finish with 12 points. With her effort, Munhofen easily broke into the lineup, playing in all 27 of her team’s games. Meghan Phair, Fencing Phair didn’t let anything stop her this season … not even the snow. After overcoming a mid-western blizzard, the freshman arrived at the NCAA fencing championships and the national scene. When the weekend was over, Phair had finished sixth in the epee division and was recognized as an All-American. Sweeter still, Phair’s win came over long-time Princeton rival Kira Hohensee. The ending was just icing on the cake, however, as Phair spent the regular season as the best epee fencer on the team and in the league. Matt Serediak, Men’s Squash A consistent performer, Serediak propelled the men’s squash team into the national rankings. The freshman also knocked off several top players including Yale’s Julian Illingworth, then the No. 3 squasher in the nation. After ending his season as the nation’s 12th best, Serediak was named first team All-Ivy and second team All-America. The 12th-place ranking was also the highest any Cornellian had ever been in the polls. Allison Schindler, Women’s Lacrosse Breaking into the lineup early, Schindler hasn’t wasted any time in becoming one of Cornell’s most potent offensive threats. She recently broke the team’s freshman assist record and is quickly approaching the all-time mark. After yesterday’s win over Stanford, she needs just three more assists to make the record books for the second time this season.Archived article by Matt Janiga