Dartmouth Claims Series Victory Over Baseball with Go-Ahead Eighth-Inning Sac Fly
HANOVER, N.H. — For the second consecutive day, Dartmouth (10-21, 7-10 Ivy League) scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, winning 3-2 against the Cornell baseball team (11-18, 6-11 Ivy League) at Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park on Saturday afternoon.
Big Green junior third baseman Taer Rodriguez hit a one-out sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, breaking open a 2-2 game by plating Jackson Hower, who led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch.
Hower and Camden Rush contributed four of the Big Green’s seven hits. Stefan Di Corrado recorded the only extra-base hit for Dartmouth, a one-out double in the sixth inning.
Junior right-handed pitcher Eddie Albert delivered an impressive performance for the Big Green, striking out a career-high 11 batters over seven innings. He allowed only one run on three hits and issued two walks. Albert’s outing was Dartmouth’s first game with 10 or more strikeouts since Trystan Sarcone struck out 10 Cornell batters on April 23, 2022. It was also the highest strikeout total since Jack Foss recorded 11 strikeouts against Penn on April 1, 2018. Additionally, it marked the highest number of strikeouts at home since Duncan Robinson’s 12 against Lehigh on March 20, 2016.
Joseph Chambers earned the win by recording the final out in the eighth inning. Bryce Loeger secured his first career save after facing just one batter above the minimum in the ninth inning.
Sophomore second baseman Owen Carlson recorded half of Cornell’s hits during the game, going 2-for-4 at the plate. The other hits for the Big Red were significant home runs hit by junior right fielder Caden Wildman and senior center fielder Jakobi Davis.
Junior left-handed pitcher Huxley Holcombe recorded his third quality start of the season, allowing just one run and scattering five hits over six innings. He issued two walks and struck out four batters.
After giving up a leadoff single to Carlson to start the game, Albert found his rhythm and retired the next 11 batters he faced. During this stretch, he struck out five consecutive Big Red batters and notably struck out the side in the second inning.
Wildman ended Albert’s streak of consecutive retired batters with a two-out, solo home run to left field that broke the tie in the fourth inning.
Dartmouth tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Zackarie Casebonne led off with a single, advanced to second on Taer Rodriguez’s sacrifice bunt, and scored following two wild pitches by Holcombe.
Holcombe managed to limit the Big Green to just one run during his six-inning start, leaving eight runners stranded on base, five of whom were in scoring position.
In the seventh inning, Elliott Krewson and Rush each hit singles, setting the stage for Ethan Brown’s sacrifice fly, which gave Dartmouth a 2-1 lead. During Brown’s at-bat, a wild pitch from freshman right-handed pitcher John Hegarty allowed Krewson and Rush to advance into scoring position.
Following a Dartmouth pitching change to start the eighth inning, Davis ensured the Big Green’s lead would be short-lived by opening the inning with a home run to right field, tying the game at 2-all.
Dartmouth loaded the bases in the eighth inning when Cornell issued three free bases: one hit batter and two walks, leading to Rodriguez’s game-winning sacrifice fly.
GAME NOTES
• Saturday marked the 193rd meeting between Cornell and Dartmouth, with the Big Green extending its lead in the series to 103-89-1.
• Dartmouth secured its first series victory over Cornell since taking the latter two games of a three-game series at Hoy Field in 2022. The Big Green’s last four wins in the series over the Big Red have been by two or fewer runs.
• With Davis and Wildman’s home runs, the Big Red raised its season total to 34, matching the 2001 team’s output for the fourth-most home runs in a season.
MOST HOME RUNS IN SINGLE SEASON
Cornell Program History
1. 52, 2024
2. 38, 2009
3. 35, 1999
T4. 34, 2001
T4. 34, 2025
6. 33, 2022
T7. 30, 1995
T7. 30, 2010
T7. 30, 2023
• Appearing as a pinch-hitter for senior designated hitter William Jaun, senior outfielder John Quinlan extended his team-leading on-base streak to 35 games, dating back to last season, after being hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth inning.
A LOOK ON DECK
Cornell will look to prevent the series sweep when it returns to Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park for the series finale tomorrow morning. Due to the threat of inclement weather, first pitch has been moved up to 10 a.m. Game action will be broadcast on ESPN+.
