April 22, 2006

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

HANOVER, N.H. - Junior Jake Doyle (Wilmington, Del.) drove in Marc Sawyer (Largo, Fla.) with a two-out RBI single in the top of the 12th inning, leading the Bulldogs to a 2-1 extra-inning win over Dartmouth in the nightcap of an Ivy League doubleheader on Saturday. The Big Green won the day game 6-4.

Game one started out as a pitchers duel, pitting the captain Alec Smith (Turlock, Calif.) against Dartmouth's Russell Young.

Yale drew first blood in the fifth inning after three consecutive two-out hits. The bottom of the order got things rolling, with freshman Charles Bush (Jackson, Miss.) and sophomore Dan Soltman (Evanston, Ill.) getting on. Leadoff man Josh Cox (Gainesville, Fla.) then picked up his 24th RBI of the season with an single to left that scored Bush.

Smith, however, couldn't hold the lead in the bottom of the frame.

Things looked dire early as the first two men reached base, but Smith picked Tyler Myette off and struck out Mike Pagliarulo to get momentum back on his side. Pinch hitter Matt Cavanaugh then reversed the momentum picking up an RBI single with a ground ball past the diving Bush at third. Erik Bell followed with a double to score another run, putting the Big Green up 2-1.

Dartmouth padded the lead in the sixth inning with four runs to go up 6-1. Designated hitter Andrew Nacario picked up the big hit, scoring two on a base hit to centerfield.

The Bulldogs did rally for three runs in the top of the seventh, but the deficit was too large and the Big Green hung on for the 6-4 victory.

Game two was a pitching exhibition, featuring Mike Mongiardini (Toms River, N.J.) and Josh Faiola. Both were impressive with Mongiardini going seven innings and Faiola going all 12 of the extra-inning affair.

Yale scored first again in game two, scratching a run across in the third inning on a Sawyer sacrifice fly. Dartmouth answered an inning later, knotting the contest at 1-1 on a Damon Wright RBI single to left center.

The game remained deadlocked into extra innings despite good scoring opportunities from each side, the best coming in the bottom of the ninth from the Big Green.

With Matt Fealey (Queens, N.Y.) on in relief, Dartmouth put the game-winning run in scoring position with one out, but the senior buckled down to get a ground out and strike out to end the inning.

Yale finally broke the tie in the top of the 12th inning off Faiola.

Sawyer led off the 12th with a seeing-eye groundball through the right side. John Janco (Cannonsburg, Pa.) then laid down a perfect sacrafice bunt to advance Sawyer to second before Ryan Lavarnway (Woodland Hills, Calif.) moved him up 90 feet with a chopper to third. Bush coaxed a walk to put runners on the corners for Doyle, who was hitting in the seventh spot instead of his usual cleanup spot. The centerfielder came through, lacing the ball to left center for a RBI single to give Yale the 2-1 advantage.

Fealey made the lead stand up in the bottom of the 12th, his fifth inning of relief, getting Dartmouth in order to pick up the win.

Fealey picked up the win in relief and improves to 4-0. He pitched five innings, striking out five while allowing only one hit.. Faiola fell to 5-2 on the season despite pitching all 12 innings for the Big Green.

The Bulldogs and the Big Green renew acquaintances on Sunday, closing out a four-game series with a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon.