Dartmouth Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Navy

Saturday, March 1

Annapolis, Md.

11:00 AM

Dartmouth College

1-0

Navy

2-2

Dartmouth

Navy

Dartmouth Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Navy

3/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Dartmouth

Game 1 Box

Game 2 Box

ANNAPOLIS, Md. ? Senior captain Russell Young (Clerburne, Texas) tossed a two-hit shutout in game one as the Big Green defeated Navy, 1-0, in its season opener, before falling in game two, 12-5.

Young gave up only two hits, walked four and struck out a career-high eight batters, while facing 28 hitters in the seven inning shutout win.

He gave up his first hit to Jonathan Wright in the third inning and allowed the second hitter in the bottom of the seventh to reach, but Young got two fly outs and a ground ball to earn his first win and shutout of the season.

In the third inning after Wright reached on the first hit, Navy's Renaldo Hollins hit shot to centerfield and senior captain Damon Wright (Dallas, Texas) made a nice diving catch to secure the one-hitter to that point. Young walked the next batter and with first and second, junior Johnathan Santopadre (Vacaville, Calif.) made his own diving play, going to his left and throwing the runner out at second to keep the Midshipmen off the board.

Dartmouth only needed one run for the victory and it came in the top of the first inning. Junior Johnathon Santopadre (Vacaville, Calif.) took a lead-off walk and advanced to second on freshman Jeff Onstott's (Houston, Texas) first collegiate hit with a single to centerfield. After a strikeout, sophomore Nick Santomauro (North Caldwell, N.J.) dropped a single into centerfield that allowed Santopadre to round third and put the Big Green on top 1-0.

The Big Green tried to steal another run as Onstott, who went to third on Santomauro RBI single, was gunned down at home after a Dartmouth attempt at a double steal. Fortunately for Dartmouth, Young was on his game.

Senior Jason Blydell (Nahant, Mass.) collected a team-high two hits, while Santomauro earned the lone run batted in.

For Navy, Oliver Drake got the start on the hill and was equally impressive. He matched Young pitch-for-pitch with seven innings tossed, giving up five hits and striking out 10 Big Green hitters.

In game two, Navy scored 12 runs in the first four innings and cruised to the win.

Navy got on the board in the top of the first, but Dartmouth fired back with two in the top of the second. Sophomore James Wren (Granbury, Texas) and Blydell led off with back-to-back singles and after a fielding error advanced Wren and Blydell up a base, junior Kyle Evans (Springfield, Mo.) drove in Wren with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1. Senior Erik Bell (Sierra Madre, Calif.) then stepped to the plate and cracked a double to left center that scored Blydell to give the Big Green a 2-1 lead.

The lead would not last long as Navy crossed the plate seven times in the next two innings.

Dartmouth cranked out 11 hits for five runs, including a homerun from freshman Jason Brooks (Westlake Village, Calif.) for his first collegiate hit. Onstott was 2-for-5 in the nightcap, while Wren was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.

Dartmouth will be in action itomorrow afternoon as the Big Green finishes the three game series with Navy, beginning at 11:30 a.m.