Baseball Takes Series Opener from Princeton, 3-2, in Doubleheader Split
PRINCETON, N.J. – Seniors Chris Snopek and Ben Rounds each hit home runs over the course of the day as Harvard University baseball beat Princeton University, 3-2, in the series opener before dropping a narrow 5-4 decision in game two in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Clarke Field.
Passing the midway point of Ivy League play, the Crimson (7-20, 4-7 Ivy) took a 2-0 lead in game one and remained in the lead the rest of the way before tying game two at 4-4 in the top of the ninth prior to the Tigers (10-18, 6-5 Ivy) taking the walk-off decision in the bottom of the ninth. A margin of three runs or fewer has decided nine of Harvard’s 11 Ivy League games, including five one-run games.
In game one, junior right-hander Sean Matson threw 7.0 innings in the win, tallying a career-high 12 strikeouts, while allowing one run on five hits and one walk. Junior right-hander Cole Cleary earned his second save of the year, tossing 2.0 innings and permitting one run on one hit and no walks with a career-best five strikeouts. Snopek posted his sixth home run of the season with a two-run shot.
In game two, Rounds hit his fifth home run of the season while first-year right-hander Truman Pauley tossed 5.1 innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits and three walks with his career-best six strikeouts. Junior William Lybrook and sophomore Jordan Kang each tallied two hits.
GAME 1: Harvard 3, Princeton 2
Junior right-handers Sean Matson and Cole Cleary combined for 17 strikeouts, senior Chris Snopek hit his sixth home run of the year, and Harvard beat Princeton, 3-2, in the series opener.
The Crimson took a 2-0 lead on Snopek’s homer and remained in the lead for the rest of the game, including holding off a late-game rally from the Tigers, as Harvard won for the third time in the last four games.
Matson threw 7.0 innings in the win, tallying a career-high 12 strikeouts, while allowing one run on five hits and one walk. Cleary earned his second save of the year, tossing 2.0 innings and permitting one run on one hit and no walks with a career-best five strikeouts. Snopek posted his 10th career homer with his two-run shot.
A margin of three runs or fewer has decided eight of Harvard’s 10 Ivy League games.
Harvard Highlights
- Junior right-handed pitcher Sean Matson tallied a career-high 12 strikeouts in the win, throwing 7.0 innings in the start and permitting just one run on five hits and one walk.
- Junior right-hander Cole Cleary earned his second save of the season, tossing 2.0 innings and allowing one run on one hit and no walks with a career-high five strikeouts.
- Matson and Cleary combined to total 17 strikeouts, while giving up two runs on six hits and one walk.
- Senior Chris Snopek hit his team-high sixth home run of the season and 10th homer of his career with his two-runs shot in the second.
- Junior Matt Giberti went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases. He improved to 16-for-16 on the year on stolen bases.
- Sophomore Callan Fang finished 2-for-5 at the plate.
- Senior Jake Berger and sophomore Jordan Kang each posted a hit and a run.
- Junior George Cooper contributed a double.
?? Chris Snopek blasts his sixth homer of the year on the 2-run shot!
Top 2 | Harvard 2 Princeton 0
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
Cole Cleary comes on with runners on 1st and 2nd and strikes out the side in the 8th! ??
End 8 | Harvard 3 Princeton 1
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
How It Happened
- The Crimson struck first behind a two-run home run from Snopek in the top of the second inning. After Berger led off the inning with a single to right field, Snopek launched his two-run shot to left field.
- Princeton cut the margin to 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the third.
- Harvard pushed its lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth as Kang came around to score following a throwing error.
- Matson kept the Tigers off the scoreboard for the rest of his seven innings, including three strikeouts in the fourth and two strikeouts in the seventh.
- In the bottom of the eighth, Cleary came on with no outs and runners on first and second, proceeding to strike out the side and keep the score at 3-1.
- Cleary allowed one run on a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth before posting two more strikeouts to secure the win.
?? Sean Matson with a career-high 12 Ks!
End 7 | Harvard 3 Princeton 1
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
?? Cole Cleary gets the final 6 outs, including 5 Ks, to secure our 3-2 win over Princeton!
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
GAME 2: Princeton 5, Harvard 4
Senior Ben Rounds hit his fifth home run of the season, and first-year right-hander Truman Pauley tallied a career-high six strikeouts over 5.1 innings of relief, but Harvard fell to Princeton, 5-4, in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Crimson tied the score at 4-4 with a solo home run from Rounds in the top of the ninth before the Tigers took the walk-off decision in the bottom of the ninth.
Rounds hit his 11th home run of his career while Pauley tossed 5.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits and three walks with his career-best six strikeouts. Junior William Lybrook and sophomore Jordan Kang each tallied two hits.
A margin of three runs or fewer has decided nine of Harvard’s 11 Ivy League games.
Harvard Highlights
- Senior Ben Rounds posted his fifth home run of the year and 11th homer of his career with his solo shot in the top of the ninth.
- Junior William Lybrook went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
- Sophomore Jordan Kang finished 2-for-4.
- Sophomore Callan Fang contributed an RBI, a hit, and a run.
- Sophomore Max Lane notched two runs and a hit.
- Senior Jake Berger added two walks and a hit, and junior George Cooper tacked on a hit.
- First-year right-hander Truman Pauley threw 5.1 innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits and three walks with a career-high six strikeouts.
William Lybrook gives us the early lead in game two! ??
Mid 1 | Harvard 1 Princeton 0
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
Callan Fang’s RBI puts us back ahead. ??
Mid 4 | Harvard 3 Princeton 2
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
How It Happened
- After the Crimson loaded the bases in the top of the first, Lybrook brought home the game’s first run with an infield single to stake the visitors to a 1-0 edge.
- Princeton knotted the score at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the first.
- Harvard re-took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second as Lane came around to score following a wild pitch.
- The Tigers tied it again at 2-2 with a run in the last of the third.
- Harvard went back in front, 3-2, on an RBI groundout from Fang in the top of the fourth.
- Princeton gained its first lead at 4-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- Pauley tallied two strikeouts in the fifth, induced a double play in the sixth, and tossed a one-two-three seventh to help keep the Tigers off the board.
- In the top of the eighth, the Crimson loaded the bases with one out before the hosts escaped the jam.
- Pauley struck out the side in the last of the eighth to keep the score at 4-3.
- Rounds evened the score at 4-4 with a solo home run to center field in the top of the ninth.
- Princeton took the 5-4 decision with a walk-off RBI single to center field in the bottom of the ninth.
Truman Pauley strikes out the side in the 8th. ??
End 8 | Princeton 4 Harvard 3
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
Tie Game?? The solo shot from Ben Rounds evens up the score! ??
Top 9 | Harvard 4 Princeton 4
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— Harvard Baseball (@HarvardBaseball) April 13, 2024
Next Up
Harvard closes the series with Princeton with game three tomorrow – Sunday, Apr. 14 – at noon (ESPN+).