Harvard Baseball Swept in Doubleheader to Penn

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Penn by scores of 13-7 and 10-2 at O'Donnell Field on Saturday. The sweep dropped the Crimson to 8-24 overall and 6-11 in the Ivy League with four conference games yet to play. The Quakers improved to 17-18 overall and 11-6 in conference.

As part of Senior Day, the Crimson recognized the Class of 2026 with a senior ceremony in between games of the day's doubleheader. Harvard's Class of 2026 includes

Gio Colasante,

Brian Dowling,

Jordan Kang,

Justin King,

Max Lane, and

Jack Smith.

Game 1 Box Score |

Game 2 Box Score |

Photos |

Highlights

Penn got out of the gates quickly in each game with a four-run first in game one and one-run first in game two. The Quakers scored in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings of both legs of the twinbill.

The Penn pitching staff was dominant for most of the day, employing an opener in each game. Lefty Marty Coyne (5-4) took over for Connor Darling in the third and aside from getting touched up in the sixth and eighth innings was able to put four zeroes on the board and get the win with five strikeouts in five innings of work. In game two, Thomas Shurtleff (6-2) relieved Nick Newburn, who threw two-scoreless, and went the rest of the way striking out 10 with two runs against on four this and a walk in seven innings.

The Harvard lineup produced one of its most powerful games of the season with four home runs in the opener. Shortstop

Jack Rickheim went deep twice out of the leadoff spot with four RBI. Catcher

Liam Wilson and first baseman

Zach Khozozian each went yard for the first time this season.

Game 1: Penn 13, Harvard 7

Harvard Highlights

• Wilson got Harvard on the board with a solo home run in the second.

• Down 8-1, Harvard collected five straight hits with one down in the sixth and scored on a solo home run from Khozozian and a two-run shot from Rickheim.

• Rickheim blasted his second home run of the game in the eighth; a two-run shot.

How It Happened

• The first four Quakers all reached in the first and came around to score as Penn batted through the lineup on three hits and an error, but Colasante limited the damage by striking out three.

• Harvard attempted a two-out rally in the bottom of the first and loaded the bases, but left all three runners aboard.

• The Crimson got a run back in the second on a two-out home run from Wilson.

• After Colasante threw a shutdown inning in the second, the Quakers tallied a single run in the third and fourth before plating a pair in the fifth to push the lead to 8-1.

• Smith entered for a 1-2-3 top of the sixth and the Crimson finally got to Penn lefty reliever Marty Coyne for three runs on home runs by Khozozian and Rickheim.

• Down 10-4, Harvard scored three in the eighth on a two-run home run from Rickheim and a fielder's choice RBI from Colasante. With two outs and the tying run at the plate, Penn picked off the Harvard runner at first to preserve a 10-7 lead.

Game 2: Penn 10, Harvard 2

Harvard Highlights

• Kang continued his strong play at third base with a dive into the hole to rob a base hit and make the throw across the diamond to end the top of the second.

• Kang later drove in Harvard's first run of the day on a double to right-center in the third that made it a 3-1 game.

How It Happened

• Penn loaded the bases with nobody out to start the game, but was limited to one run on a sacrifice-fly.

• The Quakers hit back-to-back home runs off the bats of Degnan and Spaventa in the third.

• Harvard briefly cut into the deficit with Kang's RBI-double in the third.

• Back-to-back two-out walks to the bottom of the order opened the door for Penn to add three runs in the fourth, including a two-run double from Secretarski.

• Penn added two more runs in the fifth and two more in the seventh.

Game Notes

• Harvard hit multiple home runs in a game for just the fifth time this season and the three long balls marked the second most on the year.

• Colasante pitched through the fifth for the sixth time this season and sixth time in his last seven starts.

• Colasante struck out six; matching a season-high against Brown (4/4).

• Kang recorded his sixth multi-hit and fourth three-hit game of the season.

• Khozozian hit his first career home run.

• Rickheim two home runs to push his season total to seven and career total to nine with his second multi-home run game of the season.

• Rickheim recorded his ninth multi-hit game of the season.

• Wilson hit his first home run of the season and fifth of his career.

• Wilson recorded his third multi-hit game of the season with a season-high three hits.

• Wilson added his sixth double of the season.

Next Up

Harvard closes the series with Penn tomorrow – Sunday, Apr. 26 – with a single game at Noon ET (ESPN+).