Dartmouth 14, Penn 8 Box Score 

Dartmouth 9, Penn 6 Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – It was an anticipated to be a meeting between the Ivy League’s best (Penn) and worst (Dartmouth) offense, it was the Big Green who watched their bats do the damage on Saturday. Dartmouth, which had only picked up one win so far in 2009, swept a doubleheader at Meiklejohn Stadium, winning 14-8 in eight innings of game one before pulling away for a 9-6 win in game two.

Penn led 8-3 in the top of the seventh inning of game one, and was ahead 8-5 with two out before Jim Wren launched a game-tieing three-run homer to left-center off starter Todd Roth.

Penn had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the inning after William Gordon led the inning off with a double. He was thrown out at third trying to advance on a fielder’s choice from Derek Vigoa. Adrian Thomas’ liner to right turned into a double play when Vigoa was trapped around second base.

In the eighth inning, the floodgates remained open for Dartmouth. The Big Green scored six runs to take a commanding lead. 11 Dartmouth batters came to the plate in the inning, with the first five reaching base. The big hit was a two-run double from Mike Pagliarulo. Five of the six runs were charged to Gordon, who had come in from first base to pitch.

The tough ending to the game erased an explosive fourth inning for the Quakers. Penn sent 12 men to the plate in the fourth inning, scoring eight runs off Robert Young. A Vigoa double scored Dan Williams and Jeremy Maas. Jeff Cellucci followed with a run-scoring single. James Mraz then drove in Cellucci with a single of his own. An infield single from Tom Grandieri loaded the bases for Williams. Penn’s thirdbaseman delivered, clearing the bases after his shot to left was misplayed by Wren, scoring three unearned runs. Maas then completed the scoring with a single to left.

Alas, for Penn, after they surrendered the game with a late-inning collapse, the Red and Blue were faced with a quick turnaround before beginning game two of the doubleheader.

The result was similar for Penn in the second game, as the Big Green erased a Quaker lead to roll to a second win.

Catcher Will Davis did his part in the game, launching two home runs – a pair of solo shots, one each in the second and eighth innings.

Dartmouth withstood early dominance from Paul Cusick to tie the game in the third. Cusick was pounding the strikezone in the early innings, fanning four of the first nine hitters. He ended the game with seven Ks.

In the third, Paglairulo singled home Joe Sclafani to tie the game. In the fourth inning, Dartmouth took the lead by manufacturing runs. After Brett Gardner was hit by a pitch to start the inning, he was moved to second via a sacrifice bunt. Johnathon Santopadre was then walked, bringing up the top of the order.

After Sclafani flew out to center, the Big Green came through with some two-out fanfare. Jeff Onstott, singled home Gardner then Nick Santomauro doubled in another run.

Penn got the lead back to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to an RBI-single from Gordon.

Cusick could not keep the Big Green within reach, however, as he allowed two runs back for Dartmouth in the top of the seventh. Three singles did the damage.

In the eighth inning, with Chris McNulty in the game to pitch for Penn, Dartmouth effectively put the game away thanks to a pair of home runs. First, Santomauro went over the fence in right with a two-run shot. Then, three batters later and with two out, Wren went yard to left, making the score 9-4.

Penn attempted a rally in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs and bringing the tieing run to the plate. Pinch-hitter Mike Mariano scored Thomas with a double to left center. Mariano got greedy however, running through the stop sign to be thrown out at third. After James Mraz flew out to right for the second out of the inning, Penn put together three hits to score another run. Maas drove in Grandieri with a double. With two runners in scoring position and two out, Dartmouth closer Ryan Smith struck out Gordon to end the game.

Penn is now 10-9 this season and 0-2 in Ivy games. Dartmouth improves to 3-9 and 2-0 in the Ancient Eight.

The Quakers are back on the field on Sunday for a twinbill with Harvard starting at noon.