Crimson Beats St. Thomas, Ivy Season Starts Saturday

Things we'll probably see slightly less of starting this Saturday, a partial list:
1. Matt Brunnig, outfielder

Because it's unsure how often we'll get to do it again, we'll mention here that Matt went 0-for-3 with a walk as the starting left fielder, reached on an error and scored in Thursday's 8-5 win over St. Thomas. Adam Cole and Shawn Haviland got light work in a game in which Harvard used seven pitchers. That should put them in line to start the Saturday games at Princeton, with Cole presumably taking the hill in the early (7-inning) game. We expect Brunnig to start the Sunday 7-inning game against Cornell. The identity of Sunday's other starter is a bit murkier, but the official SoBB guess is freshman lefty Ryan Watson gets the nod over Javy Castellanos, Brad Unger and Jake Bruton.

Matt Vance played center field for the first time since shoulder issues forced him to DH. One can assume that he'll be a fixture there with Salsgiver in right and perhaps a few different looks in left--Tom Stack-Babich (whose bat will likely be in the lineup every game one way or the other) and freshman Matt Rogers will be your likely LF/DH candidates, with Chris Mackey becoming a part of the conversation again with his strong hitting over the course of the break.

How many of those games does Matt Kramer start at catcher? The sophomore has started five games over the past week and it .389 in 18 at-bats so far, including his first home run. Kramer went 0-for-4 tonight before being lifted late in the game for junior Andrew Casey.

Yesterday's Final: Fla. Int'l 10, Harvard 1

Another rough go of it last night. A Tom Stack-Babich double in the eighth was responsible for Harvard's only run, as the offense has been quieted two nights in a row since Monday's explosion. Josh Klimkiewicz and Steffan Wilson had two hits apiece, but the top three guys in the order were 1-for-12 last night.

Taylor Meehan, who had pitched well in two relief appearances so far this season, struggled as last night's starter. He did bear down to escape unscathed from a jam in the third with runners at second and third and one out, but was lifted in the fifth for Jason Brown.

Tonight's game, against St. Thomas at 7pm, is Harvard's final tuneup before heading north for Saturday's doubleheader at Princeton.

Name that Starter

Harvard meets Florida International tonight. At 7 pm, you'll be able to follow the game live here.

So, who gets the start tonight? Post your prediction in the comments section anytime in the next hour. Winner gets a prize. Keep in mind that Princeton looms on Saturday, which would seem to preclude Adam Cole or Shawn Haviland except maybe for a shortened stint. My guess: junior Jake Bruton gets a turn to show his stuff.

Looking for a lefty, Walsh leans on rookies

Besides figuring out his weekend rotation, skipper Joe Walsh seems also to be using the Crimson’s nonconference schedule to identify a reliable lefthander that he can use at will out of the pen.

It’s an important role: many are the late-game situations where a critical out against an opposing team’s lefthanded slugger can be the difference between preserving a lead or blowing it, keeping a game close or seeing it slip away. During the stretch run of Harvard’s 2002 title run, southpaw Kenon Ronz thrived in this spot. Between Ronz and then-senior Mike Dryden, Harvard had a reliable lefty-righty combo setting up for that year’s closer, Barry Wahlberg. It made for predictable late-game situations, which, in turn, inspired confidence in close ballgames.

While much remains up in the air with regard to the respective late-inning roles of righties such as Steffan Wilson, Lance Salsgiver, Jason Brown and Taylor Meehan, among others, a hierarchy may be emerging among the team’s lefties. Senior Mike Dukovich entered the season as the incumbent, but has struggled in his first four appearances. Meanwhile, Walsh has displayed growing confidence in a pair of rookies: Ryan Watson and Hampton Foushee. Of the two, Watson makes for a particularly interesting case, since Walsh seems inclined to give him every chance of making the rotation, but both have been relied on-—and both have showed hints of promise—-in this early going.

Consider the trial-by-fire manner Walsh has utilized his two rookies, starting with Watson:

· In the team's second game against Florida, with Harvard trying to stay in striking distance down 4-0, Walsh brings Watson on for his first collegiate appearance with one out and a runner on third to face the lefthanded hitting Brian Jeroleman. Watson retires Jeroleman on a fly-out, though it's deep enough to get the run home, and later induces a groundout to retire the side. Despite encountering some expected jitters--Watson walked four, threw a wild pitch and committed a balk--he only allows one run, unearned in two full innings.
· In the seventh inning of Saturday's loss to Jacksonville, with two runs already home to grow the Dolphins' lead to 8-3, Watson is brought in to face the lefthanded-hitting Logan James with runners on second and third and just one out. He has a rough go of it, giving up four singles before getting the inning's final two outs.
· Then, just last night, Watson earns his first start against Barry. He struggled--he walked five and served up back-to-back gopher balls--but got four of his first five outs on Ks (all swings-and-misses), showing flashes of promise likely to earn him another shot at starting before the week is out.

Foushee has been introduced into the mix more gradually. He’s gotten just as many appearances, but they've been more abbreviated.

· Against Jacksonville last Friday, he went three up, three down in his first-ever inning of relief work.

· On Sunday's series finale with the Dolphins, Walsh brings in Foushee to turn around Jacksonville switch hitter Tony Bernazard after seeing Bernazard single from the right side off Matt Brunning an inning earlier. Bernazard hits into a fielder's choice, and Foushee, his job done, is lifted.

· Then, tonight, Foushee gets the ball with a man on second and one out in the sixth, and turns in a pretty solid performance. Take away two errors that weren't his fault but opened the floodgates for five unearned runs, and Foushee would have hurled 2.2 scoreless innings. As it is, his ERA still stands at 0.00 through his five innings this year.

What does all this mean? Nothing for sure, but in a crowded pen with plenty of righthanders who have yet to settle into a precise niche, Walsh seems to have certain plans in mind for his two young lefties. The hoped-for scenario may play out like this: Projected as a starter, Watson continues to get an open-ended audition to make the rotation, persisting as an option perhaps into the Ivy season as Walsh waits out his early control struggles. In the meantime, Walsh is fearless in inserting him in important relief situations, even to face righties and for extended stretches as merited. Foushee, for his part, gets a growing number of appearances, but on a situational basis. In time, he becomes a stabilizing influence in the go-to specialist role Walsh loves to reserve for a steady lefthander.

Tonight's Final: FAU 11, Harvard 1

Five costly errors and more strikeouts (10) than hits (8) spell defeat tonight.

Walsh goes to his bench ...

... as the game has slipped away. Harvard heads into the eighth trailing 11-1 with most of its starters pulled. The Owls got four unearned runs in the seventh when a Brendan Byrne throwing error extended the inning.

Harvard Trails FAU 6-1 in the 6th

Castellanos hasn't been hit outrageously hard--a two-run homer after a hit-batsman in the second was the biggest single blow--but he hasn't had an easy inning since the first. Three Harvard errors haven't helped. Castellanos does have six Ks to show for his five innings, another sign of the pure power we all know he has in deep supply. Sophomore catcher Matt Kramer, who is quietly doing a heck of a job at the bottom of that order, has belted a homer for Harvard's lone run.

Casting Call for Castellanos

After a string of pretty good relief appearances (5.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 4 K in last three appearances), senior Javy Castellanos gets a second chance to make a first impression as a starter right now against Florida Atlantic.

Never one to recycle lineup cards, Walsh is trying a revamped top of the order tonight, with Morgan Brown at leadoff, Salsgiver second, and Vance third. This is Vance's fourth different home in the order, and Salsgiver's third. Hmmm. Also, senior Chris Mackey gets the nod in right after his solid hitting performance yesterday.

We'll provide an occasional update during tonight's game, as well as get some other, non-time-sensitive material up for your collective consideration. Go Crimson.

Live from Spring Break, it's the Lance & Vance Show

More great news from Florida on Monday, as Harvard pulled out an 11-9 win over Lynn University and persevered through a 6-6, 11-inning marathon tie with Barry: Harvard's bats are heating up, and none more than the ones belonging to sophomore Matt Vance and senior Lance Salsgiver. The pair--two of the Crimson's toolsy-est guys--had seven hits apiece in today's double-dip, combining for 10 runs and, my favorite stat of all, six steals.

Cliff Notes version of today's action, courtesy of the boxscores:

In Game One against Lynn, the Northeast's swiftest designated hitter legged out a two-run triple in the eighth innning to knot the game at 9-9 after Harvard had trailed, then raced home from third with the winning run on a suicide squeeze play. You read that right: a suicide squeeze play. Love that call. Given the situation, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to Lynn, but that just makes the execution of it by Morgan Brown all the more impressive. The squeeze, by the way, was the second of two occasions in this particular game that Brown bunted to advance Vance. Brown didn't have a hit in Game One, but he continues to do all the little things necessary to win. In fact, the whole team was executing today. The aggressiveness stands out just by reading the box score, as it seems Walsh had the green light on the whole game. Consider this: on the day, Harvard had 17 runs and just one homer, a solo shot at that. The power will come, no one is worried about that. That Harvard can score 16 runs--all but one earned--by means other than the homer is vintage Crimson baseball.

The one homer Harvard did hit? Belonged to what's-his-name, Salsgiver, who didn't do much else in Game One except come up a double short of the cycle. And welcome back, Chris Mackey, who matched Lance and Vance with three hits of his own against Lynn, to go along with three RBI. His RBI single in the ninth provided a valuable insurance run that gave a little extra cushion for sophomore Shawn Haviland, who was available today thanks to his abbreviated start Saturday and shut down Lynn over the final 3.1 innings to get the win.

In the second game, which was called after 11 innings, Salsgiver and Vance again provided instant offense. With Vance moved down to the two-hole in this game and Salsgiver working out of his customary third slot, the pair were hitting back-to-back and they went tit-for-tat with each other all game long, not just at the plate, but on the basepaths. Tell me this play-by-play from the seventh inning isn't a sight for sore eyes:

Harvard 7th - Mackey grounded out to 2b. Vance singled, bunt. Vance
stole second. Salsgiver singled to third base; Vance advanced to third. Bernat
to p for Davila. Salsgiver stole second; Vance stole home. Salsgiver stole
third.

That's four stolen bases in one inning, including a swipe of home, and one run scored without a ball leaving the frickin' infield. Mercy.

And oh yeah, Salsgiver came in to pitch an inning later with an inherited runner, yet escaped the inning, and then went on to pitch three more shutout innings before the game was called. Tell me again: how is this kid is still in school, and not among his dearly departed classmates who signed and left early? Hell if I know, but thank you, baseball gods. He may be the best prospect of them all when it's all said and done.

I could go on, but there's way too much to digest from today's two games, and we're going to save the rest of it for tomorrow. A final thought for tonight, though: there are so many possibilities with this lineup, especially the top two-thirds, it's sick. Up until now, the offense has been overlooked a bit because the pitching has been finding itself and Harvard has been playing behind in so many games. Not anymore. O'Donnell is going to be a fun place to watch baseball this spring.

Harvard leads Lynn, 6-3, in the 4th

Listen to the game live by clicking here and following the "LIVE AUDIO" link in the upper right corner. Do so at your own risk--I'm pretty sure NASA's Apollo-era lunar module was equipped to transmit better audio.

Thank You, Mr. Meehan

The pictures you've been seeing on the blog in recent days are courtesy of Mr. James Meehan, Taylor's dad. The elder Meehan snapped some pretty high-quality action shots during the season's first several games and was kind enough to share them with Marty last week. We greatly appreciate the contribution, which has certainly helped spruce up the content around here.

Seniority Rules.

Senior Matt Brunnig was back where he belonged Sunday: pitching on the weekend.

The 6'6 veteran (at right) went seven strong innings, making a compelling case to start one of next weekend's Ivy games, and fellow senior Josh Klimkiewicz jacked a clutch, three-run homer to lift Harvard to a 7-5 win over Jacksonville this afternoon.

Coming in on the heels of back-to-back blowouts that depleted Harvard's pitching corps, Brunnig came up big. He scattered eight hits (three were infield singles) and walked just one hitter to earn his first win of the year. After Harvard pieced together a four-run sixth to snap a 3-3 tie, Brunnig protected the lead for two more innings until giving way to the Hunch Bunch, as skipper Joe Walsh deployed a head-scratching hodge-podge of relievers to earn the game's final six outs. Steffan Wilson struggled in his curiously timed spring debut as a pitcher, but a 1-inning cameo by Friday's starter Adam Cole helped stopped the bleeding and Jason Brown recorded the final out to earn the save.

Today also offered a glimpse of the level of production Harvard's offense should be capable of this year. Harvard's scoring was confined to two innings, but those innings contained promising displays of patient hitting, moving along of runners, and raw power.



Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, Morgan Brown and Lance Salsgiver sprayed back-to-back singles to open the inning. Jacksonville then pitched carefully to Steffan Wilson, and Wilson didn't try to do too much, walking on four pitches. After Klimkiewicz also walked to collect one of his four RBIs on the day, Matt Vance--moved into the middle of the order after managing just three hits in his last 17 ABs in the leadoff spot--laced a two-run single to right-center.

In the seventh, Harvard broke the game open with four runs, first via some smallball. After sophomore catcher Matt Kramer reached on an infield single, Chris Mackey bunted pinch runner Max Warren over to second, Morgan Brown grounded out to the right side to move Warren to third, and Wilson scratched out another infield hit to give Harvard a 4-3 lead. Then up came Klimkiewicz, who clubbed a 3-2 pitch over the left field with two on and two outs. Pretty clutch job--the runs later proved critical as Harvard's bullpen only narrowly preserved the win.

Certainly a lot of positives to take away from today's game. The win should provide a big momentum boost going into a busy week of contests, which begins tomorrow with a day-night doubleheader. Another senior (and weekend candidate) Javy Castellanos is a strong possibility to pitch in one of tomorrow's games, coming off a strong 2.2-inning appearance yesterday. If he does go, and can match Brunnig's effectiveness, the Crimson's pitching situation may finally begin to come into focus.

Go Get 'Em, 7

It is indeed Brunnig on the hill. Also, Harvard's lineup moves Matt Vance down to the six hole, and tries out rookie Matt Rogers in the leadoff spot.

Here we go, boys.

On Deck: The Hippie in Game Three?

Save for Captain Morgan, really the only pitcher not to throw so far in Jacksonville has been senior Matt Brunnig, suggesting the shaggy-haired Floridian whom Sky Mann playfully calls the "hippie" may get the start in Sunday's series finale at 1 pm.

Let us know if you know otherwise, but assuming we're not misreading the situation and Brunnig does get the ball, this bodes as a potentially impactful appearance from Harvard's 6'6 question mark. It's no secret that skipper Joe Walsh is still auditioning pitchers for at least two of the coveted weekend starter roles, and with the Ivy League season less than a week away, now is really the time to make an impression.

Coming off a solid relief appearance last weekend against New York Tech, Brunnig seems positioned to earn the right to start against either Cornell or Princeton next weekend if he turns in an impressive outing tomorrow.

Since his rookie year, Brunnig has been hyped as a special talent, with all-Ivy potential. With Cole and Haviland struggling this weekend and only certain elements of the bullpen inspiring confidence so far, Brunnig could emerge as a difference-maker this season. More than a few times in the recent past, we've seen a Harvard pitcher go from unknown quantity to go-to guy in his senior season. Also working in Brunnig's favor is the fact that he has traditionally been one of the team's more reliable strike-throwers--so far this year, he's got just one walk in over five innings of work.

Long story short, he is definitely capable of replicating--or even surpassing--his rookie year success in 2006. We're rooting for him.

Control Problems Doom Harvard Again

Sophomore starter Shawn Haviland fell behind in too many counts and Harvard fell behind quickly on the scoreboard en route to a 16-4 loss in Jacksonville this afternoon.

Haviland (seen above) struggled every bit as much as rookie Adam Cole did Friday, and exited the game just as promptly. Back-to-back walks to start the game led to three first-inning runs. The second inning didn't go much better; after a single, walk and another single, Haviland was pulled for Jason Brown.

Despite trailing 5-0 after two innings, Harvard manufactured three runs in the next two frames. Lance Salsgiver provided a two-run double and Chris Mackey singled home another run to close the gap to 5-3. Also of note: Steffan Wilson (3-for-4, with three doubles, yesterday) apparently made enough of an impression on Jacksonville that he was intentionally walked with two outs in the third inning. It worked; Josh Klimkiewicz flied out to right to end the inning, stranding two.

This was a close game until the seventh, when things slipped away, again on account of control issues. Reliever Brad Unger faced six hitters and walked four of them. Five runs were eventually charged to him, spoiling what had been a 2.2-inning hitless relief stint by Javy Castellanos, as Walsh's trial-and-error approach with his pitching staff continued to produce mixed results.

Harvard looks to salvage one game in this three-game set tomorrow at 1 pm. The game can be monitored live by clicking here.

Walsh Reprises 'Captain Hook' Role at JAX

For the second time in as many days, Harvard's starter has failed to pitch into the third inning. Today, sophomore Shawn Haviland gets an early hook, lasting exactly 1.1 innings, as another lopsided loss looms in Jacksonville. Control issues continue to hurt Harvard's cause.

You can follow the game, in progress, via Jacksonville University's GameTracker. More later.

Friday Night Blights

In what is hopefully just a hiccup and not a setback for the rotation, freshman starter Adam Cole (pictured at left) was less than his usual self Friday, getting a quick hook after just 1.1 innings, as Harvard fell to Jacksonville University, 14-3, in the Crimson's spring break opener.

Jacksonville came as good as advertised. Validating Jason Brown's complimentary assessment in yesterday's Crimson, the Dolphins pounded out 14 hits and led 10-0 after just three innings. Harvard was never in this one, though Steffan Wilson snapped out of a 3-for-17 funk, slugging three doubles and knocking in two of Harvard's three runs. The other positive sign for the good guys: though the game was out of hand early, four relievers combined to give up just one earned run in the bullpen's final six innings of work.

As for Cole, he was wild from the outset, walking the first hitter of the game and three of the ten batters he faced in all. He escaped the first inning with just one run allowed, but a solo homer to start the second signalled more trouble. By the time Cole surrendered a one-run, one out double to the fourth batter of that inning, Walsh decided he had seen enough, pulling him for lefthander Mike Dukovich, who struggled mightly before being lifted for Taylor Meehan.

The burning question of this game: Was Cole bothered by something health-wise? Or was Walsh, seeing that Cole just didn't have it on this particular day, saving him for another start during this compact spring break stretch? Probably (hopefully) the latter. We'll know soon enough--if healthy, Cole could take another turn as soon as Monday, when Harvard plays a doubleheader.

The three-game series with Jacksonville continues through tomorrow.

Hit the Road

10 days, 12 games. Jacksonville (3), Lynn, Barry, Florida Atlantic, FIU, St. Thomas, and then the first Ivy games (doubleheaders at Princeton and defending Gehrig Division champion Cornell) on April 1-2. One can only hope that by that time, they'll have a rotation set. The Crimson's Jonathan Lehman quotes Morgan Brown as saying that Matt Brunnig will get a start this week, along with Brad Unger, who pitched very well against NY Tech.

One can only hope that a Brunnig or a Castellanos really establishes himself here. (One can also idly wonder "what if"--like, "What if Frank Herrmann were still around to start the seven-inning game in New Jersey?"--but I say that now only because my gut tells me that's the last time this what if will come up this season).

Spring Break Road Trip

Official preview here, including links to live scoring for the upcoming games.

Fellow Submarines

Interesting (and interestingly timed and titled) piece on Jason Brown, Mike Myers and the art of the submarine delivery.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox were at home for October’s American League Division Series with Chicago. On their roster was a 36-year old veteran pitcher named Mike Myers who, like Brown, threw from the rare “submarine” arm slot.

Unbeknownst to Brown, Myers kept in contact with Walsh, a former Cape League coach.

“I got a phone call that Mike Myers wanted to use [O’Donnell Field],” Walsh says. “He was going to work out a guy in the minors...who was dropping down.”

Brown was on his way to class in the afternoon when he received a call on his cell phone. It was Walsh.

“Hey, Mike’s going to be down here this afternoon at 1:00,” the coach said. “Would you want to go down and get a chance to work with him?”

Says Brown, “I immediately left class and went straight down.”

Brown worked with Myers for more than half an hour, correcting subtle kinks in his delivery.

For one, Walsh says, Myers instructed Brown to dip down as he attacked the plate rather than before, as he had previously done. Myers also helped him with his arm angle and demonstrated an improved sidearmer grip.

“He was a really nice guy, really patient,” Brown says. “Because nothing came to me quick when I was working with him...He was willing to just work with me. He didn’t count it as, like, a hassle or like I was bugging him or anything.”

All of a sudden, Brown was throwing darts. His pitch movement had increased. His slider broke harder. His control had improved.

“This fall,” Walsh says, “he’s throwing 83, nobody can touch him. Nobody. I can’t wait to wheel him out. His ball is just tch tch tch tch. When we have indoor workouts, if Jason’s throwing in the cage and somebody’s throwing 90 in the other cage, [the batters] all jump in the 90 cage. He’s making guys look silly.”

Also, Frank Herrmann contributes Part III of his spring training diary, which has been a delight. (Part II was here.)