Hanover
And then came last season, when Dartmouth’s string of eight consecutive Rolfe Division titles ended with a heartbreaking playoff loss at Yale. Would the program take a downturn and or bounce back with a realistic chance for a new stretch of success? The returns thus far indicate the latter.
Sunday, Dartmouth split a doubleheader with visiting Cornell, dropping the seven-inning opener, 2-0, before prevailing in the nine-frame second game, 5-0. Towering pitcher Jack Fossand (1-1) worked deliberately through the Big Red lineup in the victory, allowing one hit in seven innings while striking out two batters and walking one. The junior threw a mere 72 pitches and only twice allowed a runner to reach second. The lone hit was a two-out single during the second inning.
First-game starter Beau Sulser wasn’t overly sharp but deserved better after allowing eight hits while striking out five batters and walking two. Dartmouth’s offense, however, was stymied despite six hits, two each by Matt Feinstein and Kyle Holbrook. The attack rallied with 11 hits in the second contest, three each coming from Michael Ketchmark and Justin Fowler.
“This is a little better start than we’re accustomed to at this point,” said Sulser, whose team is 15-10 overall and and 5-3 in league play. “It puts us in a good spot coming into our division. We usually do very well there.”
Dartmouth coach Bob Whalen found encouragement not only in his team bouncing back after first-game losses on both Saturday against Princeton and on Sunday, but in how the Big Green’s second-tier pitchers delivered. Mike Danielak (5-1) suffered his first loss in the opener against the Tigers, but Cole O’Connor answered in the second clash, much as Fossand did Sunday.
Another similarity was how Dartmouth rallied offensively, not giving in to the stress of starting the day in something of a slump. Whalen said he reminded his hitters that taking slightly longer to swing harder isn’t smart. He said they should use shorter, speedier strokes and not feel they need to pull the ball in every situation.
“All I talked about between games was not to focus on how many hits we do or don’t get, but … to be patient, stay positive and don’t try to do too much,” the coach said. “In the first game (Sunday), we expanded the strike zone by swinging at pitches up and in, and we didn’t have much hard contact. In the second game, even the outs we made were, for the most part, really well struck.”
Having a stellar weekend was third baseman Fowler. The junior Californian was the regular at the hot corner most of last season but only hit .213. This spring, he’s started 17 of the 19 games in which he’s appeared and is batting .351 after an early-season platoon with two teammates.
“I’m genuinely happy for him,” Whalen said. “He’s a modest kid and somewhat introverted, but he loves to play. During the last couple of weekends, he’s certainly had some timely hits and RBIs.”
Another bright spot is freshman center fielder Trevor Johnson, whose 13 stolen bases are the most by a Dartmouth player in a decade. The son of former Big Green captain and Major League player Mark Johnson is batting .315 with 16 RBIs and has yet to commit an error.
“He’s a very impressive kid, and he doesn’t let the game speed up on him,” Sulser said. “I love having him at the top of our lineup and in center field, where he covers a lot of ground and has a great arm.”
Said Whalen: “You try to play to kids’ strengths, so we have made (running) a point of emphasis with him.”
Rolfe Division rival Yale is 14-12 overall and 5-1 in league play thus far but has played two fewer Ivy games than Dartmouth, which hosts Brown (9-13, 3-5) for a pair of doubleheaders next weekend. Harvard (12-15, 1-7) occupies the division cellar.
“Deep down, you know division games don’t count for more in the standings,” Sulser said. “But you’re playing against the teams you need to finish ahead of to get to the Ivy Championships, so it feels a little more important and immediate.”
The Big Green plays four games at Yale from April 22-23 and closes the season by visiting Harvard for two contests on April 29. It hosts the Crimson for more two games the next day.
Notes: Cornell fell to 13-11 overall and 3-5 in Ivy action. … Sulser said he’s back to full strength after battling forearm tightness earlier in the season. “Last week at Penn, I felt kind of timid and wasn’t myself, but today was way better,” he said. … Sulser’s older brother, Cole, pitches for the Cleveland Indians’ AA minor league team in Ohio, the Akron Rubber Ducks. Asked if he’d received any Akron gear from his sibling, Beau said no. After a pause, he added jokingly, “But who wants to wear something with a Rubber Duck on it anyways?” … In attendance was former Big Green assistant coach and current Upper Valley Nighthawks general manager Noah Crane. He said his New England Collegiate Baseball League franchise expects to soon break ground on a building to house a press box and concession stand at White River Junction’s Maxfield Sports Complex. Nighthawks players are expected to arrive June 5 and the season opener is four days later. … Dartmouth’s annual athletic department talent show is scheduled for 8 p.m. on April 18 in Spaulding Auditorium and is free and open to the public. The judges are men’s golf coach Rich Parker, women’s basketball coach Belle Koclanes, ice hockey player Grant Opperman and rower Hattie Van Metre. Athletic director Harry Sheehy, who has sung Livingston Taylor’s Oh Hallelujah during previous such events and to great acclaim, said he’s not sure if he will reprise his act this time around.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.