Fresh off their record setting performance against St. Anselm, Dartmouth's baseball team put up great offensive numbers again, though they were comparatively tame. The Big Green pounded on Holy Cross 15-7 yesterday in Worcester, Mass.
Dartmouth's offense was led by Brian Nickerson '00, who has turned into an offensive machine this week and went 5-5 with a pair of doubles, a home run, three RBI and five runs scored against the Crusaders.
He now ranks second in school history with 24 homeruns and is tied for the career lead in doubles with 46. The third baseman also moved into the third place on the Big Green's all-time hit list with 194, only nine base knocks short of the all-time mark.
The game was tight until the top of the fifth when Dartmouth broke a 5-4 game open with a four-run rally led by Derek Draper '02. Draper smacked a triple to score Joe Rockers '01 and Josh Cushman '03.
Kevan Graves '03 nabbed the win for Dartmouth with his 5 1/3 innings stint in which he allowed seven hits and four runs. Bryn Alderson '03 came on in relief and went the rest of the way while giving up eight hits and a pair of earned runs.
Nickerson was not the only offensive hero for the Big Green, as six different players recorded two or more RBI. Cooper Chapin '04 also had a perfect day at the plate going 3-3 with a pair of walks and a pair of RBI.
Dartmouth roughed up Holy Cross's Mike Kerns, sticking him with the loss as the Crusaders fell to 15-18 on the year.
Dartmouth evens up its record at 15-15 with the all-important four-game set against Harvard coming up on Saturday and Sunday.
The Big Green sit a single game behind the Crimson in the Red Rolfe Divsion standings. By taking three out of four from Harvard during the home-and-home series, Dartmouth would secure its second straight Division title.
Dartmouth would then focus on avenging itself upon Lou Gehrig divsion leader Princeton, who upset Dartmouth's hopes of an Ivy League title last season.
