Following a disappointing 1–5 record in their last six games, the Princeton baseball team (8–24 overall, 5–6 Ivy League) faced a uniquely challenging schedule as they scrambled to fit in a three-game set in Cambridge against the Harvard Crimson (6–21, 3–8). Losing ground in a crowded Ivy League, the Tigers needed to at least win the series in order to keep pace in the race for one of four tournament spots.
Last weekend’s series also marked the continuation of a worrisome trend that has plagued the Tigers all season: a complete lack of hitting. The Tigers scored just three runs across the two games. Princeton’s hitting has averaged under three runs per game across the last three series of Ivy League play, and the team will be in deep trouble if that mark does not improve quickly.
Impending rain forced Saturday’s doubleheader to be rescheduled to Friday. When the rain lingered and foiled those plans, the teams postponed the final match of the series without initially proposing a make-up date — the series remains split.
D’Alessio Dominates in Game One
The first game of the series began with senior pitcher Andrew D’Alessio toeing the rubber for the Tigers. D’Alessio had authored a dominant Ivy League campaign for himself thus far, carrying a well above average 3.17 conference ERA into Friday’s game. Even by those lofty standards, D’Alessio had a game to remember.
“It felt great, especially in such a close game,” D’Alessio told The Daily Princetonian about his stellar start. “I was glad that I was able to keep us in the game and give us a chance to win late.”
Throughout the game, D’Alessio followed a consistent pattern: allow a single, but get three outs and stop the runner from scoring each time. D’Alessio never allowed more than one baserunner in an inning, and cruised through eight complete frames of work.
“You have to bear down more when a runner gets on base in the later innings of a one-run game,” D’Alessio told the ‘Prince.’ “Thankfully, I was able to take it one pitch at a time and get some big outs down the stretch.”
In the eighth inning, the bats finally broke through. A leadoff double by sophomore outfielder Jay Mentink was only the Tigers’ second hit of the afternoon, but the hitters behind Mentink made sure it counted. Fellow sophomore outfielder Bryce Gayan pinch-ran for Mentink and advanced to third on a bunt, then darted home on a groundout by junior second baseman Jake Koonin. With the ice broken and the score 1–0 Tigers, it was on the pitching to lock it down from there.
In the bottom of the eighth, D’Alessio got the leadoff man out before allowing a single. With a bit of good fortune and defensive awareness, D’Alessio turned it over to junior relief ace Justin Kim to pitch the ninth inning. Kim slammed the door, handing the Tigers a series-opening shutout win, 1–0.
Faulkner Survives, but Bats Falter
In an outing that was anything but smooth, senior pitcher Jacob Faulkner tossed a seven-inning, three-run game in the second half of the doubleheader. Faulkner allowed a jaw-dropping fifteen baserunners, but somehow escaped with a seven-inning quality start. On the other side, the bats managed just two hits as a late comeback fell just short.
Faulkner’s start was a tightrope walk of sorts, with the senior managing just one clean inning out of his seven. The Crimson loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, then broke through with a pair of singles that plated two runs. Faulkner worked through the next three innings without allowing a run, but the Crimson scored one more in the seventh on a walk and two more singles.
On the other side, the bats stared down a level of futility thus far unmatched in the season. Harvard’s Truman Pauley was authoring a masterpiece on the mound, cruising through eight innings without allowing a hit.
“He did a really good job of throwing all three pitches: fastball, sweeper, slider,” junior catcher Jake Bold said of Pauley. ”We knew from the report that all of his pitches have some of the best velocity and movement we will see in the league. Once he got in a groove he was able to compete in the zone and stay on the attack which was tough for us.”
Digging into the batter’s box, Bold made sure Pauley’s day ended two outs away from history. The catcher doubled, ending the no-hit bid and the shutout. Another error on the throw to third allowed Werdesheim to score, bringing the game to a precarious 3–1 score. After Pauley exited the game, Shapiro scored Bold on a single to center to bring the Tigers back within one.
“I definitely felt more pressure with him two outs away from the no hitter, but the last two at bats I had off him, I felt like I had missed some very hittable pitches,” Bold told the ‘Prince.’ “ I knew he couldn’t beat me if I stayed in the zone, so I was just trying to get on base with the tying run on deck.”
On the next at-bat, first-year utilityman Nick Shenefelt laced the ball back up the middle, but Harvard’s shortstop intercepted it before it reached the outfield. He gloved the ball, took it to second for the out himself and then flung it to first to retire Shenefelt on the double play.
Ending the day with a 3–2 loss, the Tigers will have to wait to end the series. Attempts by the ‘Prince’ to confirm a make-up date were unsuccessful.
Should this game be made up, it will be of utmost importance for the Tigers. Holding onto the last tournament spot by half a game, every game is now a must-win. With ten games to go, the Tigers cannot afford to take their foot off the gas in upcoming series against Brown (7–20, 3–9), Yale (20–11, 8–4), and Cornell (10–13, 5–7).
Joe Uglialoro is an assistant Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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