The Bulldogs took an early lead against Quinnipiac on Wednesday afternoon and never looked back.

In its last game before the start of Ivy League play, the Yale baseball team (10–8) used its momentum from last weekend’s sweep of Hartford and cruised to a 14–0 win over the Bobcats. Quinnipiac was coming off its best start in the program’s Division I history with an 11–6 record coming into its game against Yale, but the Bulldogs did not allow them a single run en route to their fourth shutout of the season.

“It was the fifth win in a row and gives us a lot of momentum going into Ivy play,” captain and third baseman Andy Megee ’11 said. “Everyone pitched and hit well.”

The Elis got off to a quick start with three runs in the first two innings. Quinnipiac, which has only been shut out one other time this season, was scoreless in the first two innings and for the rest of the game.

With the 3–0 lead, the Bulldogs ran away with the game in the fourth inning with four runs. Another five runs in the seventh and eighth innings sealed the Elis’ fifth consecutive win.

“I think this game was a perfect example of everyone coming to the field ready to contribute to a win,” infielder Cale Hanson ’14 said. “No one player really stood out today because everyone found a way to do [his] job well. Everyone was ready to play.”

The victory was a very different story from last year’s battle against the Bobcats, which Yale lost 19–18. The Elis came back after trailing 9–2, 13–9 and 16–14 and led Quinnipiac 18–16 going into the bottom on the ninth. But a walk-off three-run home run shattered that comeback and gave the victory to the Bobcats.

Hanson had a big game on Wednesday with three runs, two hits and an RBI. Megee added three hits and two runs.

Megee has helped the team score runs in all of its games. He has a .316 batting average and is tied for the most home runs this season with two.

All six pitchers in the game had strong performances, not allowing a single run.

“The pitching looked very good,” pitcher Brook Hart ’11 said. “We had a collaboration of young, old, and guys back from injury and everyone pounded the zone, which was what we had been missing.”

Hart did not pitch in the win against the Bobcats, but has a 1.07 ERA in 25.1 innings pitched. Pitcher Vinny Lally ’11, who has pitched the most innings on the team, added that the game today was “phenomenal” because the Bulldogs did not allow any free base runners and threw strikes.

Last year, the team had a 6.22 ERA, but the Bulldogs, with an improved bullpen, have a 5.49 ERA thus far this season.

The Elis will begin Ancient Eight play at Cornell in a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. They will then travel to Princeton on Sunday for 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m games.