ALBANY, N.Y. — The top three batters in the Dartmouth lineup combined for nine hits, four doubles, six runs and eight RBIs to lead the Big Green (13-13) to a 12-5 victory at Albany (15-13) on Wednesday afternoon in the first meeting between the two teams on the diamond.
Sophomore
Tyler Cox, the Ivy League's leading hitter, continued his torrid streak, going 4-for-6 with two runs and four RBIs, freshman Elliott Krewson went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, three runs and an RBI, and senior
Justin Murray ripped three doubles and drove in three to make the top of the lineup a gauntlet for Great Dane pitchers. Dartmouth finished the game with 14 hits (including six doubles) eight walks and two hit batters as it scored double-digit runs for the third time in the last four games.
After pushing a run across the plate in the first on a single, two walks and a double-play grounder, Dartmouth opened up a 5-0 lead in the second. Two more free passes and an error loaded the bases with one out, and Cox lined a single to center to score two runs. One out later, Murray brought home two more runs when he pulled his first double into the left-field corner.
Albany chipped away at that lead with an RBI single by Brad Malm in the third and another by Will Binder in the fourth, but the Big Green got both back in the top of the sixth. Krewson singled with one out and Murray doubled him to third before junior
James House chopped a ball to second to score Krewson and send Murray to third. A passed ball allowed Murray to sprint home and make it a 7-2 game.
But the Great Danes got right back in the game in the bottom half. A walk and a bunt single with one down preceded a pinch-hit RBI single by Mike Prisco, and when the throw back to the infield got away, another run scored. Two wild pitches later and the hosts were within two, 7-5.
Albany threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs. But Dartmouth head coach
Bob Whalen summoned senior
Cole Roland from the bullpen, and he got out of the jam with a routine grounder to first.
The Big Green blew the game open in the ninth on an RBI doubles by junior
Peter O'Toole, Krewson and Murray, and a two-run single off the bat of Cox. Roland then finished off 2.1 scoreless innings of relief with a perfect ninth, striking out two, to earn his second save of the year.
Sophomore
Devin Milberg (1-0) was credited with his first career win for tossing a scoreless fifth inning, one of seven Dartmouth pitchers on the afternoon. Taking the loss was Thomas Quinn (0-1), who surrendered five runs, three earned, on three hits and four walks in his two-inning start.
The Big Green (5-4 Ivy) return to Hanover this weekend to host Princeton (4-21, 2-7 Ivy) in a three-game series that begins with a doubleheader on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park followed by the finale on Sunday at noon. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Wayne Young '72 and Brett Franklin calling the action.
Notes: Cox has had three four-hit games with four RBIs in the last six contests, raising his average to .425 this season and giving him a team-leading 28 RBIs … Murray now has an Ivy League-leading 13 doubles … senior
Kade Kretzschmar pinch hit in the ninth and walked, reaching base for the 18th straight game … Dartmouth stole a season-high five bases.