It's the second game of a doubleheader. Tied game. Ninth inning. Two outs. Playing the league rival — and Princeton had already lost the first game in the doubleheader. The Tigers have a runner on third, poised to finish the game.
It didn't happen. Junior third baseman Eric Voelker struck out. But far from finished, the Tigers headed to the outfield and junior pitcher Tom Rowland successfully kept Harvard (8-17 overall, 4-4 Ivy League) silent through the bottom of the ninth inning — and for four more innings after that — for his second win of the season.
Three scoreless innings later, things started happening in the 13th inning when senior catcher Casey Hildreth singled to start things off. Freshman Steve Young pinch ran for Hildreth and when he got his opportunity he took it — heading home on a wild pitch to win the game, 3-2.
Harvard jumped out to an early lead in the first inning, but Princeton (10-16, 5-3) responded in the third with two runs of its own. Boran and senior first baseman Andrew Hanson hit RBI to send senior second baseman Tim Phillips and senior left fielder Jon Watterson in to give the lead to the Tigers.
But the Crimson had not given up, scoring again in the fifth inning to tie the game, 2-2, and then holding on for seven more innings before giving up the game-deciding run.
Princeton won the game despite connecting with fewer pitches than Harvard, nine and 10 respectively. Hildreth and Phillips led the game with two hits apiece.
Hitting in the first game was a similar story, though this time the totals were lower. Harvard earned six hits while Princeton was held to one less due to tough pitching by the Crimson's John Birtwell.
Wild pitches from the Tiger pitching staff, however, altered the outcome. Instead of a close win, the Tigers were outpaced by Harvard, 6-2.
The Crimson were ready from the beginning and loaded the bases in the first inning. Javy Lopez scored when Joe Llanes was hit by a pitch to advance him home.
Josh San Salvador tripled in the fourth inning and junior Mark Mager hit a sacrifice bunt to bring the run in and put Harvard up, 2-0, a lead it maintained until the sixth inning.
Princeton equaled the Crimson effort in the top of the sixth when Hanson exploded, hitting his third home run of the season, driving in a run to earn two RBI and tie the game, 2-2.
Pitching was costly in the seventh inning for the Tigers. Harvard's Scott Carmack and Llanes were hit by pitches to put runners on first and second. San Salvador singled to send the winning run home.
Princeton substituted, putting sophomore Mark Siano on the mound. Siano walked Mark Mager, loading the bases for Harvard. Two more Crimson runners found their way home to give Harvard the 6-2 win.
Sophomore pitcher David Boehle took the loss for the Tigers, falling to 1-3 for the season.
The game, which was supposed to be played on Sunday, was delayed until Monday due to poor field conditions.
The Tigers take a break from Ivy League play Wednesday before resuming league competition this weekend with two sets of doubleheaders against Columbia Friday and Saturday at Clarke Field.
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