Yale Athletics

The Yale men’s baseball team (15–7, 3–3 Ivy) clinched victory in their rivalry series this past weekend versus Harvard (2–15, 1–5 Ivy), winning two of the three games. 

On Friday, March 28, the Bulldogs fell by a score of 6–3 in Cambridge, but Yale bounced back on Saturday with two dominant victories in New Haven after weather concerns in Massachusetts moved the second-day doubleheader to Bush ’48 Field. Ultimately, after the initial defeat, the Elis returned home not just with added motivation but also with a change in mindset.

“My message to the team on Saturday morning was that we have gotten away from recognition of our identity, which is to be aggressive, to bring our energy, to be versatile, and to have proper preparation for everything that we do pitch by pitch,” Head Coach Brian Hamm told the News. “We got caught up on Friday worrying about needing to win that game because we were one and two in-conference, and Harvard had been coming off a slow start. We put pressure on ourselves. When we did that, we got rigid as a team.”

In the matchup at O’Donnell Field in Cambridge, Harvard got on the board first with a two-run home run by senior George Cooper. While Eli senior catcher Max Imhoff ’25 responded with a solo shot in the top of the fourth to cut the lead in half, Harvard was quickly able to tally two more runs in consecutive innings. In the end, the early lead proved insurmountable even for a Yale offense that is currently batting a collective .278 and has now put up at least six runs in 14 of 22 games. 

The Bulldogs seemed to undergo a complete mentality change on the bus ride southbound down Interstate 95 back to their home field. Although the pressure to win would appear even greater after dropping the first game, Coach Hamm stressed that it was an opportunity to be seized. In an interview with the News, Hamm recanted his pre-game locker-room speech to the team.

“This is what we worked so hard for throughout the course of the year to compete against our rival with the opportunity to do it at home,” he said. “This is it. Everything that you worked for basically in your baseball life, right? As a kid and youth, playing baseball through high school and getting recruited and shooting to go to Yale; all of that, ultimately, works toward the pinnacle of moments like Saturday against Harvard at home and two must-win games.”

On Saturday, the first pitch was at 2 p.m., and the Bulldogs’ bats were lively right from the start. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the first and five runs in the second. Senior Tommy Martin ’25 launched a two-run homer to right field and continued his stellar 2025 season – one in which he has already surpassed his previous season-high of 11 runs batted in.

“As far as the homer, I was in a 2-strike count, so I was trying to let the ball get to me and not do too much,” Martin said to the News. “I saw it out of the hand well and just let my instincts work for me. I think a lot of the success this year has come from understanding what makes me good and not stepping away from that or trying to be someone I’m not.”

On the mound, first year Jack Ohman ’28 added to his sensational debut season as he tossed a scoreless five innings, and his start was followed by impressive outings from sophomores Ben Winslow ’27 and Chace Chaplin ’27.

Not only did Chaplin pitch a scoreless ninth inning for the Bulldogs, but he also recorded two hits and scored twice in the 17–1 win. For Chaplin, staying ready to be called upon to contribute as both a hitter and pitcher is all about preparation and keeping himself concentrated on the task at hand. 

“Baseball is a mental game, just as much as a physical one,” Chaplin said to the News. “The game of baseball is like taking a test; if you’re focused and locked in on the preparation, the more confident you will be when called upon. The best way to stay locked in is by bringing the energy. As a team, we thrive off momentum – focusing on every pitch being thrown in all nine innings without taking a pitch off.”

While Chaplin was able to contribute to the team’s momentum in a variety of ways on Saturday, sophomore Kaiden Dossa ’27 kept Yale’s energetic juices flowing between the two games. In the first game, Dossa reached base five times but had to exit late after being hit by a pitch in the head. Yet, he bounced right back for the second game and had a leadoff walk in the top of the first to keep the Bulldog offense rolling.

Despite cold and rainy weather conditions throughout Saturday night, the Bulldogs were able to put up nine runs, and Jack Dauer ’28 kept right on track in his terrific first-year campaign with three hits and two runs batted in during the second of the two games in New Haven.

“At the plate, I’m just thinking about being on time for the fastball and hitting the ball hard and low,” Dauer said. “I’m trying to keep it pretty simple and slow the game down.”

Meanwhile, junior Daniel Cohen ’26 threw six and a third innings of one-run ball, and he struck out nine. Facing subpar weather conditions, Cohen maintained consistency in his approach and that helped him find success.

“My approach on Saturday night was the same as it has been for all my previous starts: attack each hitter, throw strikes, and be efficient,” said Cohen. “The weather wasn’t ideal, but as Coach Hamm always says, it was an elements day, and that doesn’t change what I can control. I focus on keeping my routine consistent, regardless of the weather, and avoid letting outside factors influence my approach and performance.”

Next Tuesday, April 4, Yale will look to extend their win streak to three games as they face off against Fairfield University (19–7) at home at 3 p.m. They will then return to Ivy League action with a weekend series at Brown (4–16, 1–5) on Saturday and Sunday.