NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale baseball team split a doubleheader with Harvard to open a three-game set against the Crimson on Saturday at Bush Field. The Bulldogs prevailed 4-3 in the opening game, but fell dropped the second contest against their Ivy League foes, 3-2.

Needing a series sweep in order to qualify for the Ivy League Tournament, the loss officially eliminated the Bulldogs from postseason contention. Even with a win tomorrow, Yale would sit in a three-way tie with Cornell and Penn, but would finish behind those teams because of tie-breaking rules.

Yale celebrated a very special day on Saturday during the doubleheader. The Bulldogs welcomed alumni back to Bush Field as the team celebrated Fay Vincent '31 Day. Fay Vincent Jr. spoke privately to the team and publicly to the crowd about his relationship with his father and the university. Prior to the opening game, former Yale great Ron Darling threw out the first pitch. In between contests, the Bulldogs honored President George H.W. Bush, who would have celebrated his 100^th birthday this summer. Hap Ellis, Yale School of Management '79, the President of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation's Board of Directors, was on hand to throw out the first pitch before the second game of the day.  

Game 1 – Yale 4, Harvard 3
How it Happened

• Bottom 1^st | Jeff Pierantoni led off the bottom of the first with a blast over the right field wall give the hosts the 1-0 lead.
• Top 3^rd | Harvard tied the score on a wild pitch.
• Bottom 4^th | The Bulldogs played a little small ball in the fourth. With Alec Atkinson on third, and Kaiden Dossa at the plate, Yale perfectly executed the safety squeeze. Atkinson scored easily and Dossa reached on the well-placed bunt.
• Top 5^th | The Crimson once again tied things up with an RBI single by George Cooper.
• Bottom 6^th | Dossa came through in the clutch once again with a sac fly to give his team the 3-2 lead.
• Top 7^th | With two men on, Harvard's Ben Rounds doubled to right center. One run scored easily, but the second runner was cut down at home by a perfect relay from Dossa to Jake Williams to catcher Max Imhoff.
• Bottom 8^th | Davis Hanson led off the inning with a single up the middle. After a sac bunt by Jake Williams, Hanson advanced to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Tommy Martin singled to left to score Hanson and give the Bulldogs the final lead of the game.

Game Notes

• Colton Shaw started the game for the Bulldogs and pitched well, throwing seven innings while allowing three runs. He struck out six batters. Tate Evans came on in relief and tossed two scoreless innings and earning the win.
• Pierantoni connected with his third home run of the season.
• Dossa drove in two runs and has recorded 18 RBI this season, tied for fourth on the team.

Game 2 – Harvard 3, Yale 2
How it Happened

• Bottom 3^rd | Hanson hit a long two-run home run to left to put the Bulldogs up 2-0.
• Top 4^th | Harvard tied the game with two runs of its own.
• Top 6^th | Jake Berger singled in the third run for the Crimson which would turn out to be the game-winner.

Game Notes

• With the double header split, Yale and Harvard sport a 5-5 record against each other dating back to 2019.
• Yale pitchers were once again very effective in the second game. Daniel Cohen started the game for the Bulldogs, throwing 5.2 innings while allowing three runs. Ethan Lewis and Reid Easterly concluded the game with a combined 3.1 innings of scoreless pitching.
• Hanson hit his ninth home run and drove in his 20^th and 21^st RBI of the season. He leads the team in both categories.

Up Next
The Bulldogs will conclude the regular season and wrap up the three-game series with Harvard on Sunday, May 12 at home.