The Big Green offense compiled 13 runs on 12 hits and was helped by 13 walks, a season high for the team. After giving up one run in the top of the first, Dartmouth struck for five runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a Dustin Selzer '14 triple to center field.
"It's always great to get ahead early and allow the pitcher to be relaxed to attack the hitters," captain Joe Sclafani '12 said. "It really gives us the edge because we feel like we have great starting pitching and defense."
Dartmouth's offense added another six runs in the bottom of the third to give the team an 11-2 advantage. After the Hawks' pitching staff loaded the bases with nobody out, the Big Green strung together a barrage of singles to break the game wide open.
"When you're running out there with a lead, it totally lightens the mood and is a huge confidence booster," pitcher Mitch Horacek '14 said.
The day was filled with offensive substitutions for the Big Green, which allowed the starters to rest on a cold, rainy day and gave some of the younger players a chance to play in live-game action. Second baseman Thomas Roulis '15, designated hitter Ennis Coble '13, third baseman Nick Lombardi '15 and center fielder Jake Carlson '12 led the way for Dartmouth with two hits each.
Sclafani went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and three walks, which broke Dartmouth's all-time record in walks previously held by Jim Lavery '86. Sclafani said that the game against Hartford helped him gain extra confidence going into the most important series of the season.
"I have been hitting balls hard but hadn't had much to show for it," he said. "It was a nice tune-up to actually have a result."
Starting pitcher Louis Concato '14 earned the win for Dartmouth, pitching four innings while giving up two runs and striking out a pair. He was relieved by Mike Dodakian '14, Chris England '15 and Nick Nelson '15, who made his first collegiate appearance pitching a perfect ninth inning to finish off the victory.
The team will now turn its full attention to the matchup against Lou Gehrig Division champions Cornell (29-14-1, 14-6 Ivy) in the Ivy Championship Series this weekend in Ithaca, N.Y. The Big Green lost both games they played against the Big Red early in the season, including a no-hitter by Cornell right-hander Connor Kaufmann in the first game.
"When we played them before, we were pitching well but not hitting at all, and now our hitting has really come through," Horacek said. "We're not the same team we were several weeks ago."
The Big Green has now won five consecutive Red Rolfe Division titles and has also won two Ivy League titles within that span. Last year, Dartmouth lost to Princeton University in the Ivy Championship Series in three games.
The first two games of the best-of-three series will take place on Saturday at noon and at 3:15 p.m. A third game, if necessary, will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m.
