After a 4-1 victory over Marist College Wednesday, the baseball team hosts Albany University for two doubleheaders this weekend.
On Wednesday in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., starter Doug Shimokawa ’04 and the Elis’ (6-7) bullpen got all necessary run support in the second inning; six Bulldog pitchers combined to yield only one run and five hits to the Red Foxes (6-7). This weekend, the Great Danes (4-10) come to New Haven, as Yale tries to build on its midweek win.
Four different players, Steven Duke ’03, Chris Elkins ’03, Mike Gulker ’05, and Josh Zabar ’06 knocked in runs for the Bulldogs in the Marist win.
“Different people contribute different days,” said Dave Fortenbaugh ’03, who scored two runs and tripled. “We’re not relying on just one person, and we’re really playing well as a team.”
In the top of the second inning, Fortenbaugh walked with one out and made it to third on a Marist throwing error, one of three Red Fox gaffs in the game.
Fortenbaugh crossed home plate on a Gulker ground out, and Duke scored the game-winning run on Zabar’s single.
The Elis added insurance runs in the third and sixth innings.
Yale’s pitchers delivered a dominant performance, with Shimokawa getting the win, going three scoreless innings with four strikeouts and only giving up two hits.
“I moved the ball around and got ahead of batters,” Shimokawa said. “[I] mixed up my pitches, and that was a key factor.”
The bullpen picked up where Shimokawa left off. Josh Sowers ’05, Colin Ward-Henninger ’05, Mike Elias ’05, Adam Barrick ’05, and Alec Smith ’06 went six innings, giving up the Red Foxes only run. Smith earned the save.
On defense, the Elis made three errors, but none proved costly.
With this weekend’s upcoming four-game set, the Bulldogs look for solid performances in all aspects of the game.
“We’re playing pretty good,” Fortebaugh said. “We need to be consistent in everything.”
Though Albany struggled early this season, dropping its first eight games, the Great Danes have improved of late, going 4-2 in their last six games.
Albany comes off its biggest offensive performance of the season, a 21-1 victory over Long Island that included five Great Dane homeruns.
The Bulldogs will be in good shape if they come out and continue to pitch well, Shimokawa said.
“Getting that good pitching helps,” Fortenbaugh said. “If we keep playing the way we’re playing, we’re going to come out on top.”