[abell1198]

Game 1 of the 1874 Collegiate Championship Series opened up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, home of the Harvard Crimson. Lafayette and Harvard had only played two games during the regular season, with each winning a game. Tom Drummond is once again on the mound for the Leopards, while the Crimson's ace, Shaun Louis, gets the start for the home team.

The first inning and a half were uneventful. But in the bottom of the 2nd, Harvard senior center fielder Danny Wilkins (.271, 0 HR, 11 RBI) leads the inning off with a base hit. Senior catcher Mike Manwell (.259, 0 HR, 40 RBI) follows up by hitting a double into center and Wilkins scores to give the Crimson a 1-0 advantage. Manwell takes third on a ground out, then scores on a sacrifice fly to center. At the end of two, Harvard leads 2-0.

After a scoreless 3rd, Lafayette senior left fielder Tim Jensen leads the inning off with a double. Jensen was tied for first in the association with 16 doubles during the regular season. Jensen advances to third on a ground out to second, but holds the base on a ground out to short. Jensen scores when Harvard left fielder Josh Lords drops a flyball. At the end of the 4th inning, Harvard holds a 2-1 lead.

The Crimson gets on the board again in the bottom of the 5th inning. Senior first baseman Ryan Henrickson (.229, 2 HR, 30 RBI) leads off with a single. After a fly out, Henrickson takes third on an error by Drummond. Lafayette catcher John Clapp allows a passed ball on the next pitch and Henrickson scores. Shaun Louis moves up to third base and scores when the following batter, Vince Barrow, grounds out to second. At the end of the 5th, Harvard leads 4-1.

The Leopards get a run back in the top of the 6th, as Jensen once again leads the inning off by getting on base, this one a single. Jensen goes to second on a sacrifice bunt and scores on an error by Harvard second baseman Shane Francks. In the middle of the 6th, Harvard leads 4-2. But Harvard gets the run back in the bottom half of the frame. With two outs, Manwell gets on base on an error by Lafayette shortstop Colin LaMoy and moves to third on Lords' double. Henrickson grounds a 3-1 pitch to LaMoy on the following at bat, but LaMoy commits his second error of the inning and Manwell scores. At the end of six, Harvard leads it 5-2.

Lafayette fails to score in the top of the 7th, but Harvard takes advantage of two more LaMoy errors in the bottom of the inning. The Crimson score three runs and pushes their lead to 8-2. Harvard would score another run in the bottom of the 8th, as LaMoy commits yet two more errors (for a total of six in three innings!!). Harvard wins the game by a final score of 9-2 and takes a 1-0 series lead. Shaun Louis is named Player of the Game, pitching a complete game three hitter against the Leopards.