March 13, 2012
Box Score
Reach Baseball Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details by E-Mail
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Wildcats (7-9) opened the Harvard series with a win, Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, both overcoming the statistical probabilities and overcoming the Crimson (1-7) in the 8-6 victory, by coming together as a team and battling all the way through the final inning.
“We did a good job of taking what they were giving,” said Head Coach Jason Beverlin. “We did a good job of getting guys on base, and some guys stepped up when it really mattered today.”
Early miscues dug a hole for the Wildcats, who trailed 3-0 after the second inning. The Wildcats stayed in the game and got on the board in the third with a Juan Pizarro base hit, setting up a Jordan Taylor sacrifice fly in center field.
The Crimson took advantage of opportunities in both the fourth and sixth to build up a 7-1 lead on the Wildcats, but B-CU began to work their way back in during the bottom half of the sixth. After going without a big inning, B-CU displayed greater selectivity in their approach, forcing Harvard starter Jacob Kemers into high counts, walks, and hit batters.
Three walks early in the inning set up Brandon Turner to score on a fourth-ball wild pitch to set off the rally. Over two Harvard pitching changes, two hit batters brought in two more runs, and add in a walk to bring the inning's total to four.
Defensively, the Wildcats put together three outstanding innings, holding the Crimson without another score. Meanwhile, B-CU turned it on offensively, scoring in each of the final three frames.
Alejandro Sanchez gave B-CU a huge lift, leading off the seventh by taking the second pitch yard to the batting cages in left and narrowing the deficit to a single run.
Pizarro put up a base hit to lead off the eighth, moving to third on a Jairo Acevedo single to right, while Taylor brought in another RBI, beating the throw at first and sending the tie run to the plate.
Sanchez again sparked the Wildcats in the final inning, placing a bunt down the left field line on the back-playing Crimson fielders. Anthony Stokes dropped a solid single into right center, but a miscommunication between the outfielders gave way for extra bases as Sanchez rounded third and came home to an outpouring of his teammates from the home dugout, clinching the 8-7 come from behind win.
In spite of the win, the Wildcats were outhit by Harvard 18-8, while committing four errors on the night. Not giving up in the face of adversity proved crucial in coming away with the W tonight.
“Early on, I wasn't sure how we were going to react,” Beverlin said, “but they did a great job of pulling together and keeping the game close. When it counted, and the chips were down, they found a way to win the game. That's really the only stat that matters.”
Scott Garner opened the day on the hill, pitching six with four strikeouts and two earned runs. Taylor moved from designated hitter to the mound in the seventh and kept Harvard scoreless, until Jordan Dailey (2-2) closed out the game for the win in the ninth.
“Jordan Taylor did an excellent job,” Beverlin said. “He attacked the strike zone and gave us a couple innings when we really needed them. It's going to help our bullpen tremendously over the next two days. Then Jordan Dailey did what he does, came in and tried to shut the door. He did a great job tonight.”
Pizarro was 1-1 at the plate, while taking HBP on three occasions, earning two runs and collecting an RBI. Alejandro Sanchez scored three times, including the homer, while hitting 2-4. Brashad Johnson also had a notable day at the plate, going 2-3 with one run and an RBI. Taylor topped the team with three RBI.
Tonight's game gave the Wildcats the opportunity to take the early lead in the game, while also tearing into the Crimson bullpen (which utilized four pitchers in game one), but the Wildcats' focus should be on recognizing that the series is far from won, and Harvard showed some hitting ability in the opener. Tomorrow's game is set with the first pitch at 6:00 p.m.
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