This Day in Dartmouth History: April 1

April 1, 2009: Biondi Park opens with big rally in eighth to beat Siena

Thanks to a $5.2 million dollar gift from Mike '79 and Cindy Ginn Biondi '80, the Dartmouth baseball team opened up the 2009 home slate in a completely refurbished park, rechristened as Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park. The Big Green were coming off a 2008 season in which they won the Rolfe Division but came up short in the Ivy League Championship Series. After a rough start to the 2009 campaign against several tough non-conference foes, Dartmouth was righting the ship and entered its home opener on a modest four-game winning streak having swept two Ivy opponents in doubleheaders.

But the Big Green fell behind the Saints of Siena in the fifth, 4-3, and the visitors extended their lead with two more tallies in the seventh. Facing a 6-3 deficit in the bottom of the eighth, Dartmouth got the rally hats out and mounted a comeback.

Two walks and an error loaded the bases with one down when senior Johnathan Santopadre drew a walk to force in a run. Freshman Joe Sclafani proceeded to do the same, closing the gap to a single run, and that led to a pitching change. Sophomore Jeff Onstott got a pitch to his liking and lofted a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at six without a hit being recorded in the inning. The very next batter fixed that, however, as junior Nick Santomauro hit a screamer over the shortstop's head for a two-run double to give the Green an 8-6 lead.

Sophomore Ryan Smith was summoned from the bullpen to close the door, and he did in quick fashion by retiring the side in order, his fourth of what would be a school-record 11 saves on the season.

Dartmouth continued its winning ways at home, winning its first nine games at the new venue to extend its overall winning streak to 13. By the end of the season, the Big Green had won 15 of their 18 games in Hanover and still continue to have terrific success in the park with a winning percentage of over .700 in the 11 years playing there.