Following an early spring filled with demanding games versus non-league opponents, the eight baseball squads of the Ivy League finally set their sights on each other last weekend as the first round of league games took place.
Knowing now that each and every game can bring a team one step closer or farther away from the Ivy title, the members of the Ancient Eight delivered a roller-coaster opening weekend characterized by lopsided victories, close calls, and some standout performances.
Columbia 4, Brown 1
Game one of the doubleheader in New York City was a pitcher’s duel from start to finish, as Lions’ senior pitcher Brian Doveala turned in a three-hit, one run performance to lead Columbia to a 4-1 victory. Brown starter James Camphin had retired eight consecutive batters — including four straight strikeouts — going into the fourth inning when Columbia outfielder Fernando Perez scored the game’s opening run on an error.
The Bears were held scoreless by Doveala until the seventh inning when Brown sophomore Paul Christian hit into a fielder’s choice that scored teammate Robert Deeb. Doveala struck out five and allowed only one extra-base hit in the victory.
Brown 23, Columbia 8
The evening rematch between the Bears and Lions turned out to be just the opposite of game one: a fireworks display that saw the Bears tally 20 hits as nine different players scored and drove in at least one run. Brown junior Jeff Nichols began the batting practice in the first inning with a three-run shot to give the Bears an early 3-0 lead, knocking out Lions’ starter Brendan Quinn.
Quinn was replaced by sophomore Timothy Hearin in the third, yet the right-hander fared no better as he was rocked for nine hits and nine earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
The game was highlighted by a grand slam from Christian, who knocked in four of the Bears’ nine runs in an explosive sixth inning. Brown outfielder Danny Hughes has driven in a team-high 21 runs thus far in the season.
Princeton 10, Dartmouth 2
The Tigers jumped ahead in the win column in their first game of the Ivy season with a convincing 10-2 win at Clarke Field in Princeton, N.J. over the weekend. Princeton took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run homer from sophomore Andrew Salini, who blasted the first pitch he saw over the right field wall.
A couple of errors by the Green in the second inning led to two more runs and a 5-0 lead for the Tigers. Princeton starting pitcher Ross Ohlendorf (4-1) made the lead stand as the junior allowed only two runs on seven hits and struck out eight in seven innings on the mound. It was Ohlendorf’s second consecutive complete game of the season.
Tigers’ junior B.J. Szymanski had four RBI in the game.
Dartmouth 5, Princeton 2
The Tigers’ bid for a perfect Ivy League record ended in the second game of the doubleheader as Dartmouth junior Jeff Speights led the Green to a 5-2 win with a three-run home run in the fifth inning.
Sophomore starter Joshua Faiola pitched eight strong innings for the Green, giving up just two runs on six hits. Faiola clamped down on the Tigers at the end of the game, retiring the last nine batters he faced to quench any ideas of a Princeton comeback. Junior Nick Peay registered his fourth save of the season when he struck out Aaron Prince for the final out. Sophomore Bryan Jonas continued to be a potent force at the plate in the win.
Penn 1, Yale 0
The Quakers outlasted the Bulldogs in the teams’ first league game of the season last Saturday, scoring the game’s only run in the bottom of the sixth inning off an RBI single from junior Matt Horn. Yet, the real spotlight in the game belonged to Penn ace Josh Appell, who pitched a two-hit, complete game shutout to notch his first league win of the season. Yale starter Josh Sowers was also solid, striking out six batters and allowing seven runs over six innings. Appell leads the Quakers with a 3.51 ERA and has struck out 22 batters on the season.
Yale 12, Penn 3
The Bulldogs’ bats woke up in game two of the doubleheader as rookie Jake Doyle went 4-5 with five RBI and Yale tallied 20 hits in the rematch. Sophomore John Hollis (2-2) gave up only one run in seven innings for the Bulldogs who saw every starter in the batting order notch at least one hit. Sophomore Matt Stone was 2-5 with three RBI and freshman Justin Ankney blasted a 1-2 pitch over the fence for a solo home run in the fourth. Penn starter Bill Kirk (1-3) was chased for seven runs off 11 hits in the first five innings, managing to strike out only one Yale batter. Bulldog Marc Sawyer leads the squad with a .365 batting average.
Archived article by Kyle Sheahen
Sun Assistant Sports Editor