During spring break, the Dartmouth baseball team took flight to the land of sun, smog and silicon. The Big Green spent a little over the week taking on opponents from central California in an attempt to build on a solid start of its season, which began in North Carolina during the first week of March. During the road swing, the Green took on formidable opponents Sacramento State, University of the Pacific and Cal. Poly-San Louis Obispo.
The first four games of the road trip were against the Hornets of Sacramento State. The Green split the opening doubleheader with an 18-12 loss, followed by a 9-6 victory. Scott Shirrell '04 and Brian Zurhellen '05 paced Dartmouth's offensive efforts.
In the two games, Zurhellen had four hits and seven RBI while Shirrell also had four hits and added five RBI of his own. Tim Grant '04 collected the win for the Big Green in the second game. Despite surrendering six runs in the first three innings, Grant found his groove and led the Green to a complete game victory.
In the third game against Sacramento, the Green surrendered a seven-run lead to the Hornets in the bottom of the eighth inning and went into the top of the ninth down by a run. Not to be denied a pivotal win, the Big Green battled in the top of the ninth.
Cooper Chapin '04 tied the game with a bases loaded RBI single. The next hitter, Josh Cushman '03, provided the go-ahead run with a pinch-hit RBI single. Shirrell continued his hot hitting with a two-run single later in the inning that put the game away and gave the Green a 13-9 victory.
The finale of the Big Green's four-game set with the Hornets was an uplifting one. The Big Green pitching struggled, giving up 10 runs on 12 hits. Shirrell led the Green in hits with three doubles while Jeff Speights '05 and John Huelenskamp '06 each added two hits. Dartmouth hitters were unable to overcome seven runs scored by Sacramento in the first two innings on its way to a 10-5 victory over the Big Green.
Playing a new team the next day did not improve the Big Green's luck. The University of the Pacific handed Dartmouth another loss with a 13-3 rout. Josh Baily '05 led the team in hits with two singles and Zurhellen added a run with a solo home run, his second long ball of the season.
After a rainout gave the Green a day off, Dartmouth bounced back with some late-inning magic to defeat Pacific in 13 innings. Once again, Shirrell paced the Green offensive efforts going six for seven at the plate with five runs scored and three RBI.
Shirrell provided a clutch hit in the top of the 13th with a home run that provided the go-ahead run in an eventual 10-8 victory. Jason DaCosta '03 had four hits in the game and three RBI and scored on a double steal to give the Green an insurance run in the final inning.
Another day off led to another Big Green victory against a new opponent -- Cal-Poly. Grant had the Big Green's strongest starting pitching performance of the season, throwing another complete game. This time, Grant surrendered only two runs on four hits, while striking out five. The Big Green hitters, lead by multi-hit performances from Zurhellen and DaCosta, supplied all the run support Grant needed in the 5-2 victory.
In the final game of its trip the Big Green grew weary, surrendering 11 runs to the Mustangs of Cal-Poly while only scoring two.
Cushman was the only Dartmouth hitter to collect more than one hit. All of the Big Green's scoring came via a two-run homer by Speights, his second home run of the season.
After finishing the road trip with four wins and four losses, the Big Green returned to Hanover with an even 5-5 record. Although an even record is by no means astonishing, it is an improvement on last season.
The Boys of Mud Season seem to be building on each game and have showed the ability to win close contests in the late innings. These factors, combined with strong performance from offensive leader Shirrell and leading pitcher Grant, give the impression that Dartmouth baseball is on the right track towards a successful season.
