Princeton's Bats Bust Out In Game 2 Win; Tigers Earn Split vs. Cornell

Saturday, March 31

Princeton, N.J.

11:30 AM

Princeton University

3-10, 0-1

Cornell

4-9, 1-0

Cornell

Princeton

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Princeton's Bats Bust Out In Game 2 Win; Tigers Earn Split vs. Cornell

March 31, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Princeton Tigers began Ivy League play at Clarke Field with a doubleheader split against the Cornell Big Red, earning a 10-4 victory in game two. The Big Red won game one, 5-2.

Game 1: Cornell 5, Princeton 2
Jesper Horsted led the Tigers with three hits while Chris Davis added two knocks at the top of the order. Ben Gross struck seven hitters as he worked into the sixth inning while Max West threw out two runners trying to steal in the loss.

After Gross struck out the side in the first inning, Princeton got to work in its first at-bat. Davis led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a hit-by-pitch. He would then trot home on a RBI hit from Horsted. Two batters later, Ramzi Haddad brought home Asher Lee-Tyson, making it 2-0 Princeton.

The Tigers had a runner on third base with two outs in the bottom of the third, but couldn't add on to their lead. Cornell got on the board in the next half frame as Jason Apostle singled in Josh Ardnt with two out.

Princeton looked to had tacked on an insurance tally in the fifth as Horsted doubled to left field, but Lee-Tyson was thrown out at the plate. Horsted was left stranded at second base.

Kyle Gallagher led off the Cornell half of the sixth with a triple and scooted home on a sacrifice fly from Dale Wickham. Three straight hits were highlighted by a run-scoring knock from Apostle. On the play, another run came around to score on a throwing error, giving Cornell a 3-2 advantage. Kaleb Lepper lined a double to left field that gave the Big Red their fourth and fifth runs of the contest. Princeton couldn't muster a rally in its remaining at-bats.

Game 2: Princeton 10, Cornell 4
The Tigers matched their season high with 10 runs as five different players had at least two hits. Jake Boone registered three hits and three runs while Lee-Tyson had three hits and two RBI. The 7-8-9 hitters in Princeton's lineup went a combined 7-for-13 with six runs scored. Ryan Smith and Tanner Kliewer struck out 11 Cornell batters. Smith picked up first win of the season while Kliewer earned up his second straight save.

The Tigers put together the first scoring opportunity in the third inning. Boone and Davis singled and moved up one base each on a sacrifice bunt from Lee-Tyson. After Horsted walked and a pop up, David Harding knocked in two on a single to left field.

It did not take long for Cornell to respond as it scored four times in the next half stanza. Already with one run in on a double from Trey Baur, Ellis Bitar ripped a triple to right-center field that plated three runs.

Taylor Beckett hit his first career home run to begin the bottom of the fourth.

B4: Taylor Beckett's first career home run gets the Tigers within one! pic.twitter.com/GBEYr8PgKF
— Princeton Baseball (@PUTigerBaseball) March 31, 2018

The next hitter, Alex Dickinson, reached on a bunt down the third base line and ran to third on a throwing error. Boone wasted little time getting Dickinson in as he singled to left. The freshman got to second base on a ground out and stole third before Lee-Tyson's hit gave the Tigers a 5-4 advantage.

E4: Lee-Tyson puts the Tigers back in front with this RBI knock to right! Princeton 5, Cornell 4 pic.twitter.com/0H4DddppNc
— Princeton Baseball (@PUTigerBaseball) March 31, 2018

The Tigers put the contest away with a four-spot in the eighth inning. In front by two, 6-4, Lee-Tyson singled in Boone before a run-scoring double from Horsted. Haddad wrapped up the scoring with two-run two-out single. Kliewer finished off the Big Red with a 1-2-3 ninth frame. The junior pitcher retired the last eight hitters for Cornell.

Princeton and Cornell wrap up the series tomorrow at Clarke Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be streamed on the Ivy League Network.