PHILADELPHIA – Sophomore right-hander
Sean Matson and first-year right-hander
Callan Fang combined to limit the Quakers to three runs as Harvard University baseball beat the University of Pennsylvania in game two of a doubleheader, 7-3, after falling in game one, 8-2, on Sunday afternoon at Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium as the Crimson took the series, 2-1.
Closing its first Ivy League series and first series in the Northeast region this season, the Crimson (4-15, 2-1 Ivy) never trailed in the second game of the twin bill – and rubber game of the series – after the Quakers (10-9, 1-2 Ivy) took the day's opening contest. Harvard earned the 2-1 road series victory behind its 3-2 victory in 10 innings in Friday's series opener.
In game two, Matson (4.1 innings, 2 runs, four strikeouts and Fang (4.2 innings, one run, three strikeouts) combined to limit the Quakers to three runs, while sophomore
George Cooper went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a triple, and a double, junior
Jake Berger hit a two-run double, and junior
Ben Rounds launched his fourth home run of the season.
In game one, junior right-hander
Chris Clark posted eight strikeouts over 5.0 innings in the start.
GAME 1: Penn 8, Harvard 2
Junior right-hander
Chris Clark tallied eight strikeouts over 5.0 innings in the start, but Harvard fell to Penn in Sunday's game one, 8-2.
The Crimson remained within 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth before the host Quakers plated three runs in the last of the frame to gain a 7-1 advantage on their way to evening the series at 1-1.
Clark tallied seven or more strikeouts for the fourth time in five starts in 2023. Sophomore designated hitter
Sawyer Feller hit an RBI double for the Crimson.
Harvard Highlights
- Junior right-handed pitcher Chris Clark threw 5.0 innings in the start after earning the save in game one of the series. In Sunday's start, he allowed four runs – all earned – on six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts.
- Clark has tallied seven or more strikeouts in four of his five starts in 2023 and has posted five strikeouts in all five starts. On Sunday, he recorded two strikeouts in each of the first, fourth, and fifth innings.
- Sophomore designated hitter Sawyer Feller posted an RBI double on his second double of the series.
- Junior right fielder Ben Rounds tallied a hit, a run, and a walk.
- Senior catcher Zach Brown posted a hit and a run.
- Junior third baseman Jake Berger reached base safely three times behind a hit and two walks.
- Senior left-handed pitcher Tim Williamson tossed 3.0 innings in relief, permitting one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
How It Happened
- Penn opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a solo home run.
- The Quakers plated three runs in the last of the second, moving ahead 4-0 behind a sacrifice fly and a two-run double.
- The Crimson pulled within 4-1 in the top of the fourth as Feller hit an RBI double down the right field line to plate Rounds, who opened the inning with a single.
- Harvard threatened in the top of the sixth, putting runners on first and second with one out before the hosts escaped the jam.
- In the bottom of the sixth, the Quakers added three runs off the Harvard bullpen to extend their lead to 7-1.
- The Crimson cut the margin to 7-2 in the top of the seventh as Brown came home following a wild pitch.
- Penn tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, making the score 8-2.
GAME 2: Harvard 7, Penn 3
Sophomore right-hander
Sean Matson and first-year right-hander
Callan Fang combined to limit the Quakers to three runs as Harvard topped Penn in game two, 7-3, to take a 2-1 series win following the Crimson's victory in the series opener on Friday.
The Crimson jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. After the Quakers pulled within 3-2 in the bottom of the second, Harvard scored four of the game's final five runs on its way to the victory.
Alongside the pitching performance from Matson and Fang, sophomore
George Cooper went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a triple, and a double, junior
Jake Berger hit a two-run double, and junior
Ben Rounds launched his fourth home run of the season.
Harvard Highlights
- First-year right-handed pitcher Callan Fang threw 4.2 innings in relief, permitting just one run on two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
- Sophomore right-hander Sean Matson hurled 4.1 innings in the start, allowing two runs – both earned – on seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
- Sophomore second baseman George Cooper went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a triple, a double, and a run scored. He notched his second game with three or more hits this season.
- Junior designated hitter Jake Berger finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.
- Junior right fielder Ben Rounds hit his fourth home run of the season.
- Senior shortstop Hunter Baldwin tallied two hits and two runs scored.
- Junior center fielder Peter Messervy posted a hit, an RBI, and two walks, senior first baseman Logan Bravo scored two runs alongside a hit, and junior left fielder Chris Snopek added an RBI.
- Harvard tallied 10 hits in the game, recording double-figure hits for the second time in the series and the eighth time on the season.
How It Happened
- Harvard took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Rounds launched a solo home run – his fourth homer of the year – over the wall in left field.
- Cooper extended the Crimson's lead to 3-0 in the top of the second, sending a two-run single to left field.
- After Penn pulled within 3-2 with a home run in the bottom of the second, the Crimson countered with a run in the top of the third as an RBI on a ground ball from Snopek made the score 4-2.
- In the top of the sixth, Messervy knocked a base hit into center field to plate Baldwin and push the visitors' edge to 5-2.
- Penn trimmed the margin to 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run.
- The Crimson gained additional separation in the top of the ninth as Berger laced a two-run double to deep center field after Cooper started the inning with a triple.
Next Up
Harvard hosts Holy Cross in its home opener at O'Donnell Field on Tuesday, Mar. 28 at 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+) prior to hosting Princeton in its first Ivy home series with a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 1 at 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+) and a single game on Sunday, Apr. 2 at noon (ESPN+).
