ITHACA, N.Y. – Harvard University baseball took game one of a doubleheader from Cornell University, 14-6, with a season-high 14 runs before dropping a narrow 6-5 decision in game two on Sunday afternoon at Booth Field.
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The Crimson (5-19, 3-6 Ivy) extended an 8-6 advantage in game one into its 14-6 edge with six runs in the ninth and held a 5-3 lead entering the bottom of the eighth in game two before the Big Red (8-12, 6-3 Ivy) scored three runs in the frame to take its first lead of the contest.
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In game one, Harvard posted a season-high 14 runs and limited Cornell to two runs over the final five frames. At the plate, first-year
Jack Rickheim went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and two doubles, junior
Sawyer Feller finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, and senior
Ben Rounds posted a 3-for-4 effort with three runs. On the mound, junior right-hander
Sean Matson gained the win, throwing 6.0 innings in the start and striking out six while junior right-hander
Cole Cleary earned his first career save, hurling 3.0 innings and allowing one run with two strikeouts.
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In game two, sophomore right-hander
Callan Fang threw 6.1 innings in the start, allowing three runs – all earned – on four hits and one walk with a career-high 12 strikeouts for the second straight outing while junior
George Cooper finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double as part of a 10-hit effort for the Crimson as a team.
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Five of the Crimson's six setbacks in ivy League play have come via a margin of two or fewer runs.
GAME 1: Harvard 14, Cornell 6
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First-year
Jack Rickheim totaled five RBIs and four hits, junior
Sawyer Feller tallied another three RBIs, and the Crimson scored a season-high 14 runs as Harvard beat Cornell, 14-6, in game one of the doubleheader.
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The Crimson held an 8-6 lead on the Big Red entering the ninth inning before the visitors plated six runs in the top of the ninth to gain separation and even up the series at one game apiece.
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At the plate, Rickheim went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and two doubles, Feller finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a double, and senior
Ben Rounds posted a 3-for-4 effort with three runs and a double.
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On the mound, junior right-hander
Sean Matson gained the win, throwing 6.0 innings in the start and allowing five runs – four earned – on 10 hits and one walk with six strikeouts while junior right-hander
Cole Cleary earned his first career save, hurling 3.0 innings and allowing one run on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
Harvard Highlights
- First-year Jack Rickheim went 4-for-5 with five RBIs, two doubles, a run, and a stolen base.
- Junior Sawyer Feller finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs, a double, and two runs scored.
- Senior Ben Rounds posted a 3-for-4 effort with three runs, a double, and a walk. He has reached base safely in 22 of the Crimson's 23 games on the year.
- Junior George Cooper tallied two hits, three runs, and a walk.
- Junior Matt Giberti stole a base, improving to 14-for-14 on stolen bases on the year.
- Senior Jake Berger contributed two runs, two walks, a hit, and an RBI.
- Senior Peter Messervy notched a hit, an RBI, and two runs scored.
- Junior William Lybrook chipped in a hit and an RBI, and senior Chris Snopek added an RBI.
- Junior right-hander Sean Matson threw 6.0 innings in the win, allowing five runs – four earned – on 10 hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
- Junior right-hander Cole Cleary earned his first career save, tossing 3.0 innings and permitting one run on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
- As a team, the Crimson posted a season-high 14 runs – its third game with double-figure runs this season. Harvard matched its season best with 12 RBIs and totaled 15 hits, marking its 11th game this year with double-figure hits.
How It Happened
- Harvard took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as Messervy brought home a run with a ground ball before Rickheim plated a pair with a two-run single to right field.
- The Big Red pulled within 3-2 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second and then tied the score at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly in the third.
- The Crimson went back ahead at 4-3 in the top of the fourth behind an RBI double to right center from Rickheim.
- Cornell knotted the score at 4-4 with a run in the last of the fourth.
- Harvard captured the lead again at 6-4 with two runs in the fifth. Snopek brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly prior to an RBI single up the middle from Lybrook.
- After Cornell trimmed the margin to 6-5 in the sixth, the Crimson responded with a pair of runs in the seventh to push its lead to 8-5. Cooper scored on a wild pitch before Berger brought home Rounds on a sacrifice fly.
- Cornell scored once in the last of the eighth to cut its deficit to 8-6.
- The Crimson plated six runs in the top of the ninth to gain separation from the hosts. Feller started the frame's scoring with a bases-clearing, three-run double down the left field line. Rickheim then sent a two-run double into left field before scoring the stanza's final run following a balk.
GAME 2: Cornell 6, Harvard 5Â
Sophomore right-hander
Callan Fang tallied a career-high 12 strikeouts over 6.1 innings, and junior
George Cooper notched three hits and two RBIs, but Harvard fell to Cornell in the series finale, 6-5.
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The Crimson held a 5-3 lead entering the bottom of the eighth before the Big Red scored three runs in the frame to take its first lead of the game.
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Fang threw 6.1 innings in the start, allowing three runs – all earned – on four hits and one walk with a career-high 12 strikeouts for the second straight outing while Cooper finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double as part of a 10-hit effort for the Crimson as a team.
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Five of the Crimson's six setbacks in ivy League play have come via a margin of two or fewer runs.
Harvard Highlights
- Junior George Cooper went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double.
- Junior William Lybrook posted two runs, an RBI, a hit, and a walk.
- Senior Jake Berger tallied an RBI, a hit, a run, and a walk.
- Junior Matt Giberti contributed an RBI, hit, and a run.
- Senior Ben Rounds notched a hit and a run. He has reached base safely in 23 of the Crimson's 24 games in 2024.
- Junior Sawyer Feller and first-years Tyler Shulman and Jack Rickheim each added a hit.
- Sophomore right-hander Callan Fang threw 6.1 innings in the start, allowing three runs – all earned – on four hits and one walk with a career-high 12 strikeouts. He totaled 12 strikeouts for the second straight outing.
- Junior right-hander Tanner Smith tossed 1.0 inning of relief, permitting no runs on one hit and no walks with two strikeouts.
- Harvard posted 10 hits as a team, marking its 12th game this year with double-figure hits.Â
How It Happened
- Harvard opened the contest's scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Giberti brought home a run with an RBI on a bunt single before Cooper drove in the frame's second run with an RBI double to center field.
- Cornell trimmed the margin to 2-1 with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.
- The Crimson pushed its advantage back to two runs at 3-1 as Berger sent an RBI single down the right field line to plate Rounds in the top of the sixth.
- The Big Red knotted the score at 3-3 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.
- In the top of the seventh, the Crimson loaded the bases, allowing Cooper to send an RBI single to left field to give the visitors back the lead at 4-3.
- Harvard extended its edge to 5-3 in the top of the eighth as Lybrook's sacrifice fly brought home Berger.
- The Big Red scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to move ahead 6-5.Â
Next Up
Harvard plays Massachusetts in the third-place game of The Baseball Beanpot on Apr. 9 at 1:00 p.m. at Boston College before competing in a three-game Ivy League series at Princeton with a doubleheader on Apr. 13 starting at 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+) and a single game on Apr. 14 at noon (ESPN+).
