Baseball Continues Hot Spring
By Maxwell T. Copello | Monday, April 21, 2008
Dartmouth Baseball continues to turn heads around the Ivy League after taking three of four from the Brown Bears down in Providence, RI. On Saturday the Indians opened the weekend up with an 8-2 victory but fell in the nightcap 18-6. This helped Dartmouth to move to 15-10 on the season but more importantly 8-2 in Ivy League play. The second day of this four game weekend was even brighter for the Indians and they took both games by scores of 9-7 and 16-14. Some of the bright stars from the weekend included Senior Co-Captain Russell Young, who threw a complete game on Saturday, allowing only two runs on eight hits. Seniors James Wren and Damon Wright and junior Jack Monahan contributed with their bats all collecting hits that led to eight runs on nine hits for the Indians.
On Sunday, Dartmouth hoped to at least keep their two and a half game lead over Yale in the Rolfe Division of the Ivy League and did, sweeping the double header from Brown with an impressive offensive display. Sunday was a day of homeruns, as Senior co-captain Damon Wright and classmate Erik Bell both sent two homers out of the ballpark, contributing to a total of 25 runs in two games. In game two, the Indians recorded sixteen runs on seventeen hits and held off the charging Bears to take the series. Offensive performers on Sunday included Erik Bell who, with two homers, had five runs batted in and four runs scored, and Seniors Jason McManis and Jason Blydell each went five for eight with three and four RBIs respectively.
At the conclusion of the weekend, Dartmouth now stands at 17-10 overall with an impressive 10-2 Ivy League record. With only eight games remaining in the conference season, the Indians are in great shape. Back to back double headers against second place Yale this weekend should provide the Dartmouth community with something to cheer for, on what we hope will be our first Spring weekend of the year. “The games against Yale this weekend are of huge importance. They are a tough team, currently right behind us in the standings. If we can continue to play well this weekend, then I think we have a good chance at separating ourselves in the standings,” said senior Jason McManis.
Dartmouth’s offensive performance has been impressive this season, hitting .318 as a team, including eight of their starters boasting a .300 or better average. A scrappy team, though recording 22 home runs in 26 games, thanks to the four this last weekend, the Indians take what they can get by capitalizing on walks and advancing runners on base hits. Team leaders include junior Michael Pagliarulo (.419, .500 OBP, .662 Slugging), sophomore Nick Santomauro, and senior Damon Wright, who are both hitting .372 on the season. It is this extraordinary offensive display that has led to the Indians averaging 7.2 runs per game.
On the note of base stealing, the Indians succeeded on just 13 of their 28 attempts (though giving up 23 of 24 to their opponents). But with the masterful hitting and strong performances on the mound, the Indians continue to be a force to be reckoned with. Senior reliever Bobby Steinsdoerfer has a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings, allowing only 6 hits and recording 14 Ks. On the starting end, senior Russell Young and sophomore Robert Young have both been solid on the mound. Russell has a 3.28 ERA in five starts, including three complete games and one shutout all while keeping a strikeout-to-walk ration of 34-to-9. Robert, also impressively, has a 4.24 ERA in six starts with two complete games and a 26-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
With losses to only Gehrig Division leaders Columbia and Brown and sweeps of Princeton and Penn, one cannot accuse Dartmouth of playing an easy schedule. Looking ahead, the Indians are hoping to close the season out strong with wins this weekend against Yale. McManis said it best: “Then, if all goes as planned, hopefully the Dartmouth Baseball fans will get to see some post-season games here on Red Rolfe Field.”
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