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Dartmouth (Game 1)
Players Mentioned
Dartmouth Sweeps Princeton In Ivy-Opening Doubleheader
March 29, 2008 | Baseball
Missed opportunities plagued the Princeton baseball team in its Ivy League-opening doubleheader Saturday at Clarke Field, as Dartmouth came away with wins of 5-4 and 8-5. Princeton left 21 players on base during the twinbill, which featured an extra-innings win for the Big Green in the opener and a crucial seven-run sixth inning in the second game.
Princeton spent the majority of game one playing catch-up, as the Tigers rallied from deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2 to force extra innings. After a wind-aided fly ball fell in for Princeton in the fourth inning to help even the score at 2, Dartmouth built its first two-run lead in the fifth inning, thanks to a Damon Wright triple that was lined over rightfielder Jon Broscious. That scored Erik Bell and Jeff Onstott, both of whom got on base with two outs.
The Tigers rallied immediately, as consecutive singles by Jack Murphy, Spencer Lucian and David Hale loaded the bases with one out. Dartmouth forced an out at home on a fielder's choice to get the second out, but Broscious lined a single to left field that scored two runs. Princeton would load the bases, but for the second straight inning, Dartmouth left the three runners stranded.
Princeton starter Brad Gemberling and Dartmouth starter Russell Young both kept the scoreboard quiet through the seventh inning, which is all the teams were scheduled to play in the opener. Gemberling was pulled for reliever David Palms, who struggled with his first batters. A single and a double put runners on second and third, but a terrific defensive play by first baseman Adrian Turnham and Murphy, the catcher, took out the lead runner at the plate. A sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Brett Gardner scored Michael Pagliarulo for the eventual winning run, as Young pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to clinch his second win of the season.
Princeton second-game starter Christian Staehely looked in total control of his start, as he struck out nine batters in his first five innings and held a 4-0 lead for much of his start. The Tigers jumped out of the gates for three in the first and one in the third to take the lead. An RBI single by Lucian and a two-RBI triple by Hale to the deep right corner were the key hits in the first inning, while a double to left field by Murphy and a Lucian RBI groundout accounted for the scoring in the third.
Dartmouth chipped off one run in the fifth, but it all fell apart for Staehely in the sixth inning. After getting the lead batter to ground out, the Tiger starter allowed a single and two walks to load the bases. Jason Blydell's RBI single and Jack Monahan's two-RBI single quickle evened the score, Johnathon Santopadre added to the run with a single to right centerfield, scoring two more runs and forcing the exit of Staehely. Dan Barnes came in and allowed one more run before getting out of the seven-run, seven-hit inning for the Big Green.
Princeton showed fight in the bottom of the sixth inning with a Broscious double and an RBI single by Micah Kaplan, but that would be Princeton's final run of the game. The chances were there for Princeton, which left seven runners stranded in the final four innings. Dartmouth relievers Bobby Steinsdoerfer and Ryan Smith did a nice job keeping runs off the board for the Big Green, which left Clarke Field with an 8-7 overall record and a 2-0 mark in the Ivy League. Princeton fell to 8-11, 0-2 in the league and will host Harvard in a Sunday doubleheader at Clarke Field. The Crimson was originally scheduled to play Cornell today, but the game was postponed during the week due to field conditions, which allowed members of the Harvard team to watch the first game of Saturday's doubleheader from the Clarke Field bleachers.