Once, twice, three times the possibility of a victory hung in the air at Red Rolfe Field yesterday afternoon. But it was not to be. Dartmouth could not turn late inning base runners into runs and lost a heartbreaker to the University of New Hampshire 3-2.
The loss drops Dartmouth's record to 13-7. UNH's record improved to 20-11. After the game Coach Bob Whalen said, "We had opportunities [to win the game]. We didn't take advantage of them. You have to put the game into perspective. UNH is a good team." UNH is currently ranked number three in the Northeast.
Dartmouth had a number of late scoring opportunities, forging late-inning possibilities in both the eight and ninth innings after falling behind 3-1 in the top of the eighth.
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Dartmouth dug deep. With one out, the number nine hitter, short stop Brian Mosley '98, doubled to the right center wall. co-Captain Greg Gilmer '96 gritted out an infield hit to deep short, beating out the one hop throw at first, setting up Mike Armstrong '97 with two on and one out.
Armstrong, who finished 1-5, entered into a four pitch battle with UNH relief pitcher Kevin Rogers. After fouling the third pitch off to bring the count to one and two, Armstrong watched the third strike.
With one life left, center fielder Andrew Spencer '97 walked to the plate and bounced a hard grounder to short stop. The force at second ended the inning and the game.
The bottom of the eighth told the same story. Jim Meyer '97 came to the plate with two on and two out, to face the newly substituted Rogers. Meyer lined Rogers' sixth offering to second base to end the inning.
The bottom of the eighth did not go without scoring, as Dartmouth dug deep to manufacture the inning. With one out Spencer turned an 0-2 count into a walk and advanced to second on a wild pickoff throw by pitcher Chris Wodarski. Third baseman Jake Isler '96 flied out for the second out. Designated hitter Travis Horton '96 then ripped his first pitch into center field, singling Spencer home, and bringing the score to 3-2. Left fielderCurtis Jones '95 then turned his eight-pitch war with Wodarski into a walk, knocking Wodarski from the game, and bringing Meyer to the plate.
Dartmouth's eighth-inning rally came directly after UNH broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth scoring two runs with two outs. The inning began with Anthony Valentine reaching on a Isler error. Valentine was then advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt.
UNH coach Chris Serino then went to his bench bringing in Doug Stofford to face Eric Walania '98. Stofford, UNH's best hitter, entered the game batting at a .463 clip. He was leading the nation in hitting earlier in the season.
After a conference at the mound, Walania bore down aggressively, moving the count to 2-2 before Stofford took a pitch and put in left field for a single. Valentine rounded third and headed home. Jones' strong throw and a quick relay nailed Valentine at the plate in a cloud of dust. Serino left the dugout to protest the call.
With two outs, Dartmouth had seemingly saved itself, but Alex Watson ended the hopes, tripling the second pitch to deep left center driving Stofford home. With the score now 2-1, Whalen pulled Walania.
Chris Van Valet '95 entered the game to face Brian Martin. Martin doubled to the bottom of the left field fence. The long fly eluded left-fielder Jones and Watson scored. Whalen said he left Walania in the game because it was the best match up. We, "didn't make the big pitch," he said.
New pitcher Dave Stefanowicz '97 retired Sarno to end the inning.
Sarno began the scoring in the fourth, hitting a home runto deep right. Dartmouth tied the game in the fourth when Horton doubled. Horton later advanced to third and scored on a RBI sacrifice fly by Meyer.
UNH pitcher Kevin Theberge recorded the victory. Walania took the loss for Dartmouth, dropping his record to 3-1. Starting pitcher Matt Tarver-Walquist turned in a strong performance, recording five strong innings, giving up one run, while striking out three.
This weekend Dartmouth plays two doubleheaders against Harvard. On Saturday the two teams will battle at Red Rolfe field before heading to Boston for Sundays twin-bill.
