Down 11-2 to the University of Miami and waiting out a rain delay in their opening round NCAA regional matchup, one couldn’t blame the members of the Dartmouth baseball team if they decided to look ahead to the next day’s potential elimination game. Instead, the Big Green (26-18, 14-9 Ivy) refocused and outscored the Hurricanes (41-17, 21-12 ACC) 6-1 after the delay before falling, 12-8.
Shortstop Joe Sclafani was the star for the Big Green offense on the day, belting two home runs while driving in three. Sam Bean was also key for Dartmouth, enjoying a 4-5 day at the plate and scoring twice.
Dartmouth starter Kyle Hendricks was roughed up in more than 3 innings of work, surrendering 11 runs on 10 hits. Hendricks allowed four home runs and walked three batters on the day. Ben Murray ‘10 was effective in relief of Hendricks, going four strong innings while allowing just three hits and one run.
Miami starter Eric Whaley found more success, pitching four shutout innings before giving way to reliever Joe Lovecchio. Bean was the only batter that Whaley, a freshman, allowed to reach base. Bean hit a single in the first and was aboard again in the fourth after beating out an infield hit. Whaley also struck out four hitters in his four innings of work.
Things didn’t appear to be going well for Dartmouth, as the team trailed 11-0 heading into the sixth inning.
After Jeff Onstott struck out to lead off the sixth, Brett Gardner singled up the middle. Sclafani then got the Big Green on the board, as he sent the 2-2 pitch from Lovecchio over the rightfield fence for a two-run homer. It was the last play before a one hour delay due to lightning.
Dartmouth clearly benefited from the delay, whereas Miami seemed to have mentally checked out upon the resumption of play. While Murray continued to shut down the Hurricanes hitters, the Big Green bats came alive with a four-run eighth inning.
Bean got things started with a one-out double, his third of four hits on the day. Chris O’Dowd drove Bean home with an RBI single to make it 11-3. Jason Brooks and Jim Wren followed O’Dowd with singles of their own, loading the bases for Zack Bellenger.
After O’Dowd scored on an RBI groundout from Bellenger, Onstott reached on an error by second baseman Scott Lawson, allowing Wren to score Dartmouth’s sixth run on the day to pull Dartmouth within five runs.
Though the Big Green added two more in the ninth, including Sclafani’s second homer of the day, the team’s comeback effort ultimately fell short.
The favored Hurricanes pulled ahead early, scoring six runs in the first inning. The Big Green leads NCAA Division I in fewest walks allowed per nine innings, but Hendricks uncharacteristically walked two of the first three batters batters he faced. Miami cleanup hitter Harold Martinez made Hendricks pay, hitting a Hendricks curveball over the rightfield fence for his 20th home run of the year to give the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead.
After Chris Pelaez and Nathan Melendres both reached on singles, Miami DH Michael Broad matched Martinez’s shot with one of his own, doubling the Hurricanes’ lead to 6-0. Lawson led off the second inning with a solo shot, the third in the game off of Hendricks, to make it 7-0.
After a leadoff walk by Yasmani Grandal in the fourth, Martinez singled through the left side to give the Hurricanes runners on first and second with no outs. The next batter, Pelaez, hit Miami’s third three-run homer of the day to make it 11-0 and chase Hendricks from the game.
Dartmouth’s next game comes tomorrow at noon as it takes on Florida International University in an elimination game. FIU’s Garrett Wittels extended his hitting streak to 55 games in FIU’s 17-3 loss to Texas A&M University today. He is just three games shy of tying the NCAA record of 58, held by former major-leaguer Robin Ventura of Oklahoma State University. Captain Robert Young will take the mound for the Big Green in what could be his final collegiate start. In his four-year Dartmouth career, Young has compiled a 13-18 record and a 5.63 ERA while striking out 143 batters.