The baseball team improved to 16-8 on the season and 4-2 in Ivy League play after defeating Dartmouth 10-9 on Sunday at Meiklejohn Stadium. Junior utility player Ben Miller had a game-high six RBIs, including a game-altering grand slam.
Dartmouth dashed out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, and Penn answered with three runs in the bottom of the third. Junior infielder Cole Palis and junior catcher Jackson Appel reached base on balls; Miller then knocked in both runs with a single to center field. Miller advanced to second on a passed ball, and senior infielder Craig Larsen brought him home with a double to right center.
Dartmouth scored runs in the top of the fourth and fifth to take a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, freshman catcher Asa Wilson struck out swinging and Palis grounded out to short, putting the Quakers in a two-out hole. Senior outfielder Tommy Courtney struck out swinging and it looked like the inning was over, but he reached base on a fielder’s error. Appel then singled to right field, moving Courtney from first to second. Up next, sophomore third baseman Wyatt Henseler was hit by a pitch, moving Appel to second and Courtney to third. Facing an 0-2 pitch, Miller hit a grand slam to center field, knocking in four runs and putting Penn ahead 7-5.
Junior outfielder Seth Werchan, in the bottom of the eighth, reached base on a walk, stole second, and then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Wilson’s ground out to short scored Werchan, putting Penn up 8-5.
As usual in Penn vs. Dartmouth matchups, neither team went down without a fight. The Big Green scored three runs in the top of the eighth to tie the game up at 8-8. The Quakers counterpunched in the bottom of the inning with a home run by Appel, which gave the Red & Blue a 9-8 advantage. Henseler then doubled to right center and reached third on a wild pitch. Larsen brought him home with a line out to center, which gave Penn a 10-8 lead.
On the mound for the Quakers in the ninth inning was freshman pitcher Danny Heintz. He struck out the first two batters swinging, and then gave up a home run, which made it a 10-9 game. Heintz struck out the fourth batter swinging to pick up his first win of the season.
Miller was 2-4 with two runs, one grand slam, one walk, and six RBIs. Appel was 2-3 with three runs, one home run, and one RBI. Henseler was 1-4 with one double and two runs.
Sunday’s contest marked the fifth time in the last 10 Penn vs. Dartmouth games that the outcome has been decided by one run.
