For the last two years, a Dartmouth baseball game without bunches of Dartmouth runs has been almost as rare as Baker Tower without bells. Unfortunately for Dartmouth, there has not been much to ring about for the last three games.
Dartmouth dropped its third game in a row at Tufts yesterday afternoon, 8-1, in the final game before the Ivy League home openers against Cornell and Princeton.
"We aren't too concerned with our opponents right now, we are more concerned with ourselves," said co-Captain Greg Gilmer '96 after the team's disappointing loss.
Tufts got things started early on with five runs in the first and three in the third inning off young starter Peter Sellers '98. Dartmouth, already down by what would become the final score, had a hard time mustering any momentum from that point on.
In the last three games, Dartmouth's bats have only managed a paltry two runs. That can be a concern, considering the Big Green's virtually intact and proven starting lineup is the team's biggest strength. Gilmer, however, is not too worried about the recent hitting slump.
"We have the hitters and we have the confidence, it's just a matter of putting the two together," he said.
One bright spot in the game against Tufts was the continued prowess at the plate of center fielder Andrew Spencer '97. "Spence," normally the team's number three batter in the lineup, swatted two doubles against the Tufts hurlers during the contest.The Big Green change gears this weekend as they try to rebound and prepare for doubleheaders at Red Rolfe Field against Princeton, (3-1 in the Ivy's) on Sunday at noon, and Cornell (2-2 in the Ivy's) on Monday at noon.
According to Gilmer, Prince-ton has been a consistently competitive team in the past for Dartmouth, and Cornell has been touted has the most improved Ivy League team this season.
"Playing at home will be a big advantage for us," Gilmer said. "It will be nice to get up and go right to the field."
