CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Junior right-hander
Chris Clark tallied eight strikeouts over 6.0 innings, and junior
Jake Berger and sophomore
Sawyer Feller each hit home runs as Harvard University baseball beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in game one, 7-3, before the Crimson fell to the Islanders in game two, 5-3, in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Chapman Field.
Closing out its spring break trip and final series before the start of Ivy League play, the Crimson (2-14) jumped out to a 5-0 lead on its way to the victory in game one and tied game two at 2-2 in the seventh inning before the host Islanders (11-10) took the win in the final game of the weekend's four-game series to split the day's twin bill.
In game one, Clark tallied seven or more strikeouts for the third time in his four starts in 2023. Berger hit his second home run of the season while Feller launched his third homer of the year. In game two, sophomore right-hander
Sean Matson threw 6.0 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in the start.
GAME 1: Harvard 7, Texas A&M-CC 3
Junior right-hander
Chris Clark tallied eight strikeouts over 6.0 innings, junior
Jake Berger and sophomore
Sawyer Feller each hit a home run, and Harvard beat Texas A&M-CC in game one, 7-3, in a contest that went the scheduled seven innings as predetermined.
The Crimson jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the top of the third on its way to the win.
Clark gave up just three runs – two earned – on five hits and two walks with his eight strikeouts – his third start with seven or more strikeouts this season – before first-year
Jack Smith tossed a scoreless seventh inning. Berger hit his second homer of the year while Feller launched his third homer of the season.
Harvard Highlights
- Junior right-handed pitcher Chris Clark earned the win, throwing 6.0 innings and allowing three runs – two earned – on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. He has tallied seven or more strikeouts in three of his four starts in 2023.
- First-year right-hander Jack Smith tossed 1.0 inning in relief, permitting no runs on no hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
- Junior Jake Berger went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and three runs scored. He posted his second homer of the season.
- Sophomore Sawyer Feller hit his third homer of the year with a two-runs shot in the third inning.
- Junior Peter Messervy totaled two hits, two runs, and a double. He notched his team-high ninth double of the season.
- Senior Logan Bravo finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run.
- Junior Ben Rounds and first-year Gio Colasante each added an RBI.
How It Happened
- The Crimson jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Berger drove a two-run home run over the wall in left field.
- Harvard extended its lead to 5-0 in the top of the third with three runs. Berger brought in his third run of the day with a ground ball before Feller lifted a two-run homer to left field.
- The Islanders plated a pair of runs in the last of the third to pull within 5-2.
- In the top of the fourth, Rounds hit an RBI single up the middle to score Messervy, giving Harvard a 6-2 edge.
- An RBI from Colasante pushed the Crimson's advantage to 7-2 in the fifth.
- Texas A&M-CC added one run on an error in the sixth inning before the Crimson closed out the game in the seventh.
GAME 2: Texas A&M-CC 5, Harvard 3
Sophomore right-hander
Sean Matson allowed just two runs over 6.0 innings in the start, but Harvard fell to Texas A&M-CC in game two, 5-3.
The Crimson held a 1-0 lead entering the bottom of the fifth and tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh before the Islanders plated three runs in the last of the eighth to gain separation.
Juniors
Peter Messervy and
Chris Snopek each hit a double with Messervy registering his team-high 10
th double of the season.
Harvard Highlights
- Sophomore right-hander Sean Matson threw 6.0 innings in the start, permitting just two runs – both earned – on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
- Senior Hunter Baldwin went 2-for-2 with an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base.
- Junior Chris Snopek scored a pair of runs and added a hit on a double and a walk.
- Junior Peter Messervy hit his team-high 10th double of the season, while contributing a run and a walk.
- Senior Logan Bravo tacked on an RBI, and first-year Gio Colasante added a hit and a walk.
How It Happened
- Bravo opened the game's scoring with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first, scoring Messervy and giving the Crimson an early 1-0 lead.
- The Islanders tied the score at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth and then moved ahead 2-1 with a run in the sixth.
- The Crimson tied the game at 2-2 as Baldwin lifted a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the seventh.
- Texas A&M-CC re-took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs to pull ahead 5-2.
- The Crimson threatened in the top of the ninth as Snopek hit a double before later scoring on a wild pitch to cut the margin to 5-3. Harvard then put runners on second and third with two outs before the Islanders closed the contest.
Next Up
Harvard opens Ivy League play with a three-game series at Penn, facing the Quakers in a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 25 beginning at 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+) and a single game on Sunday, Mar. 26 at noon (ESPN+).
