Against Amherst (7-4), the Big Green (3-10) built an early lead and held on late, extending the team's home winning streak to 25 games, currently the longest in the nation. Catcher Chris O'Dowd '13 and first baseman Dustin Selzer '14 each contributed two hits in the victory.
While Dartmouth capitalized on good baserunning and patient hitting to build a five-run lead by the end of the fifth inning, the Big Green did not maintain its full intensity throughout the entire game, according to co-captain Joe Sclafani '12.
"We came out and didn't play as we would have liked, but give those guys credit they came out and competed well with us," Sclafani said.
After being held hitless through the first six innings, Amherst pecked away at Dartmouth's pitching, notching two runs in the eighth and bringing the tying run up to the plate in the ninth.
The home game Dartmouth's first of the year could help the Big Green regroup and prepare for a critical set of games against defending Ivy League champion Princeton and up-and-coming Cornell, according to co-captain Cole Sulser '12.
"You take away a lot of the distractions of traveling," he said. "It allows you to focus on the points of the game you want to execute well. Having a game like that, it is really helpful."
Head Coach Bob Whalen said in-game experience is often the best way to prepare for future opponents.
"The cumulative effect of playing at a high level just prepares you better," he said.
On Wednesday, seven Dartmouth pitchers took the mound for the Big Green, while five pinch-hitters contributed to the Big Green's winning effort.
Jeff Keller '14 and Matt Robinson '15, both of whom were previously sidelined with injuries, received playing time on Wednesday.
The Big Green will look to continue to improve as the team begins Ivy League play this weekend in a highly anticipated set of games.
"We're just working on getting a little bit better each day," Sclafani said.
On Saturday, Dartmouth will face defending Ivy League champion Princeton in an afternoon doubleheader in Princeton, N.J. The Tigers denied the Big Green's hopes for a third consecutive Ivy League title in the Ivy Championship Series last year.
The team will then head north to face Cornell University for a doubleheader in Ithaca, N.Y. on Sunday.
"It's hard not to put extra pressure on the games considering how the season turned out," Sulser said. "But we're just trying to look at it like it is just another weekend."
In practice this week, the team will focus on continued overall improvement and consistent performance in key situations, Whalen said.
"We need to make that jump from playing well to understanding when those critical at-bats or half innings that are the difference between winning and losing [come up] and play a little better than our opponents at those critical junctures," Whalen said.
This weekend, Dartmouth must convert hits into runs early in the games against the small-ball Ivy League teams, according to Sulser.
"If they're executing the small things, those little runs will add up throughout the game," he said.
Both Princeton and Cornell also have deep pitching staffs, including Mike Ford of the Tigers, last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year.
"We're going to have to make the adjustment to pitchers who are relying on movement and location," Sulser said.
While Princeton is once again considered a potential contender for the Ivy League crown, Cornell's early-season record of 13-4 means that all four games will be a stern test for the Big Green.
"Our philosophy is to do a very good job preparing them to have success," Whalen said. "And part of that is mentally getting them to understand what they're up against."
Dartmouth will play all four games in a span of 29 hours, the first set of grueling but critical weekend Ivy League games.
"It is different and has to be a bit of an adjustment for young players," Sulser said.
Due to the frequency of important games, the coaches also stress the ability to compartmentalize, forget prior results and focus on the upcoming game, according to Whalen.
Last year, Dartmouth beat Princeton in both regular season games, only to lose to the Tigers in the Ivy League Championship Series.
"No matter how these games go, anything is still possible," Sulser said. "We're looking forward to it. It's going to be a good season."
