The Dartmouth baseball team arguably played its best four games of the year last weekend, sweeping Harvard in doubleheaders at Dartmouth on Saturday and Harvard on Sunday.
The Big Green got four excellent pitching performances from its young starters, Scott Simon '97, Peter Sellers '98, Eric Walania '98, and Travis Farrell '98, and timely hitting from the lineup to close the book on the Crimson and earn its first winning record in the Ivies since 1991.
Dartmouth fell just short of the now three-time defending Red Rolfe division champion Yale Bulldogs, who wrapped up the Ivy League season one game ahead of Dartmouth in the standings.
The four victories raise the Big Green's record to 12-8 in the Ivies, 17-17 overall. Dartmouth finished with its best League record since 1987, when the team went 14-2 to gain first place.
Dartmouth 2, Harvard 1
The Big Green opened the doubleheader in style, outlasting the Crimson in a classic pitching-and-defense nailbiter.
Dartmouth got its first run in the opening frame. Andrew Spencer '97 socked a liner up the middle, followed by a double from Jake Isler '96 to right center. Then, with runners at second and third, Travis Horton '97 popped a shallow sac fly down the left field line. Third Base Coach Mik Aoki took a chance and sent Spencer, who squeaked by to score thanks to an off-target throw home.
The Big Green got what turned out to be the only run it needed in the bottom of the third.
Spencer sparked this rally as well, stretching a long single to left center into a double with an aggressive head-first slide into second base to beat the tag. Isler followed with a ground ball that squeaked through the left side, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Spencer then cruised home on a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Horton.
Spencer, who picked a perfect time to have one of his best days in the field as well as at the plate, was three-for-three with a double and two runs scored.
Ace hurler Scott Simon '97 notched his sixth victory against only one loss with a six hit, six strikeout, one run complete game gem.
"That was an excellent college baseball game," said an elated Coach Bob Whalen after the victory. "That was two teams who played very well today. Im just glad we came out on top."
Dartmouth 8, Harvard 4
Dartmouth started from behind, after a Crimson tally in the first, but the Big Green rallied and won convincingly, thanks in part to pitching tandem Sellers, Chris Van Vliet '96 and Dave Stefanowicz '97.
The Big Green got three in the bottom of the fourth on three hits and two free passes from Crimson pitcher Ben Allen. After Isler ripped a rabbit through the hole at second, Meyer dropped a base hit into center, and Pawling walked. Up came injured co-Captain Todd Seneker '95 to pinch hit, only to get plunked in the leg on the first offering from Allen, scoring Isler. Armstrong followed, smoking a double off the fence in deep right center to raise the score to 3-1.
Dartmouth 6, Harvard 4
Dartmouth took this game to extra innings after scoring two in the first and two in the fifth to match Harvard at 4-4.
In the eighth, four singes by Curtis Jones '95, Craig Pawling '96, co-Captain Greg Gilmer '96, and Mike Armstrong '97 put the Big Green ahead for good, 6-4, to take the win.
Walania '98 (4-1) notched the victory for the Big Green, allowing only two earned runs and six hits in seven innings.
Curtis Jones '95 ended his Ivy League career in style, going 2-3 with a walk, a run, and an RBI in his last Ivy League game.
Dartmouth 6, Harvard 1
It was more of the same for the Big Green in the nightcap on Sunday, as Dartmouth grabbed two runs in the second and one each in the last four innings to whitewash the Crimson, 6-1.
In the nightcap, starting pitcher Travis Farrell '98 pitched his best game of the year, a complete game three-hitter, to wrap up the sweep.
Isler and Gilmer led the Big Green on offense. Isler, who was hitting .318 on the season, went 2-4, upping his weekend totals to 10 hits in 16 at bats and his season average 39 points to .357.
Dartmouth finishes its non-league action this week, with a home game against New Hampshire College on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., and an away contest against Holy Cross on Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
