Going head-to-head in a four-game stretch with Red Rolfe Division leader Dartmouth was sure to be a tough matchup for the baseball team. Though Brown (8-26, 4-12 Ivy) showed the Big Green (16-19, 12-4) a valiant effort, the Bears fell in four consecutive games by a total margin of six runs.
The first matchup of the four-game slate ended in the Bears’ worst defeat of the series by a score of 3-0. Eddie Fitzpatrick ’15 started for the Bears and pitched his best game of the season in terms of ERA, going six innings with two strikeouts and one earned run. A double in the bottom of the third by Joe Purritano scored Ben Socher to give the Big Green a one-run lead. An error by Noah Shulman ’16 on a Nick Lombardi steal allowed Lombardi to reach second and then score after a two-out triple by Kyle Holbrook and a double by Matt Macdowell. Mike Mancato pitched a complete game for the Big Green, allowing only six hits and giving up no walks.
Taylor Wright ’15 started the second game for the Bears, which was the first of three consecutive one-run defeats at the hands of the Big Green. Wright had three strikeouts and allowed five earned runs in five innings. Chris Smith ’15 pitched for the final three innings, giving up only one run. Dan Kerr ’15, who was moved to the sixth spot from the four-hole before the second game, and Nick Fornaca ’15 both homered in the 6-5 loss. Robert Henry ’17 had an RBI groundout in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough as Jake Levine ’16 struck out with Sam Grigo ’18 on third.
The first game of Sunday’s doubleheader was started by Reid Anderson ’18, who gave up one unearned run on one hit and three walks in six innings. Brown did not score in the first six innings, but a Will Marcal ’15 double and a Marc Sredojevic ’17 single tied the game in the top of the seventh inning — the only run that Dartmouth starter Duncan Robinson would give up in seven innings on the mound. Dave St. Lawrence ’15 came in at the bottom of the seventh and immediately allowed a single. After a sacrifice grounder to third and a wild pitch, MacDowell was able to hit a fly ball to the outfield, scoring the Dartmouth runner for the 2-1 win.
The last tilt of the four-game series — which has been a tough pitching spot for the Bears this season — was the highest-scoring matchup of the weekend. Austin French ’16 got the start for Bruno but only lasted four-and-two-thirds innings, giving up four earned runs on four walks and seven hits. Dante Bosnic ’18 relieved him, pitching three and a third innings and giving up two runs. Bosnic typically comes into games when the Bears are leading, but since Brown was never ahead, he pitched the fourth game with Brown still within reach of the Big Green.
Shulman hit a home run in the top of the ninth, scoring Henry and tying the game. St. Lawrence came in for the second time Sunday in the bottom of the ninth but was only able to get one out this time as Dartmouth quickly loaded the bases and Purritano won the game with a game-winning infield single.
