Three-run fourth not enough against B.C.

The grass wasn’t greener on the other side of the river — although for a while it sure looked like it was. Vying for their first Baseball Beanpot win in three years, the Harvard men’s baseball team took the field at Fenway Park on Monday (April 13) against the Boston College (B.C.) Eagles in the 20th annual Beanpot consolation game. And, despite a 14-hit barrage from the Eagles, the Crimson gave their state rival quite a scare.

Boston College got the game started after a fielding error in the second inning and a sacrifice grounder in the third inning put two runs on the scoreboard. But in the top of the fourth inning, the Crimson returned the favor.

After Dillon O’Neill ’11 walked to start the inning, a Taylor Meehan ’09 infield hit put runners on first and second. Harvard then advanced the runners to second and third base on a double steal. Then, Crimson outfielder Matt Rogers ’09 erased the 0-2 deficit with a screaming shot off of the centerfield wall for a game-tying triple. Three batters later, after a Harry Douglass ’09 walk, another double steal by Rogers and Douglass led to the go-ahead run.

The lead didn’t last very long, however, as the Eagles tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 4-4. B.C. followed the fourth inning with a three-run fifth inning, and a three-run sixth, to keep the Crimson at bay and take the Beanpot Consolation game, 9-5.

The Crimson’s defensive lapses were their biggest defect, as Harvard finished with four errors on the day, including two throwing errors in the bottom of the sixth that led to three B.C. runs putting the Eagles up 9-4. From there, the Crimson were unable to get back in the game and B.C. (23-12) went back to Chestnut Hill with the win.

After sweeping Yale in Tuesday’s (April 14) rescheduled doubleheader, 7-4 and 3-2, the Crimson (10-22; 8-4 Ivy League) will travel to Providence for a two-game series against Brown on Saturday (April 18) and Sunday (April 19).