[abell1198]

Villanova traveled to Harvard for Game 2 of their Collegiate Playoff Series. A.J. Banks was back on the mound for the Wildcats, while Eric Weber took the hill for the Crimson. Things looked good for Harvard in the 1st inning. Weber went back to the dugout after a three up, three down start. Senior third baseman Cameron Baker (.280, 2 HR, 32 RBI) led the inning off with a double and later scored to give Harvard an early 1-0 lead.

Villanova would respond, however, in the top of the 2nd inning. Freshman catcher Lew "Blower" Brown (.234, 2 HR, 32 RBI) triples to lead things off. Brown would later score on a ground out and tie the game 1-1. Both pitchers settle in and the score remains the same until the 5th inning. Villanova senior shortstop Alex Lomeli (.204, 0 HR, 19 RBI) singles with two outs in the top of the 5th. Lomeli advances to third on a throwing error on a steal attempt. Junior left fielder Justin "Rhino" Scott (.336, 0 HR, 28 RBI) brings Lomeli home with an RBI single to right. Wildcats lead it, 2-1.

Harvard comes back to tie the game in the bottom of the 6th. Baker reaches base on an error by Lomeli. Baker advances to third on a second error by Lomeli, then scores on right fielder Matt Reed's dropped fly ball in right. At the end of six, the game is tied 2-2. The game remains tied at 2 as we go into the 9th inning. Both starters are still in the game. Brown leads the top of the 9th off with a single past the second baseman. 'Nova junior center fielder Jeremy Brandt lays down a sac bunt, moving Brown to second. Senior first baseman Caleb Vickers then delivers a grounder through the hole and into left. Brown rounds third and scores without a throw to the plate. Villanova leads it, 3-2. Banks returns in the bottom of the 9th with a one run lead. He gets two outs before giving up a single, but then retires the last batter with a ground out to second. Villanova wins and sends the series back to Pennsylvania for Game 3!!!

Brown travels to Princeton for Game 2 of their series. Freshman Brian Bohacek is on the mound again for the Bears. Jose Munoz returns to the mound for the Tigers. Brown gets on the board quickly. With one out in the 1st, sophomore left fielder Chris Achim (.281, 1 HR, 21 RBI) singles and moves to second on a fielding error by Princeton center fielder Alex Bueno. Brown right fielder Jim Beaudin works a full count before lining a base hit into right field. Achim rounds third and beats the throw to the plate!!! Brown leads it, 1-0.

Bueno leads off the bottom of the 1st with an infield single, trying to make amends for his error. Bueno steals second (26 SB, 8 CS) and then moves to third on an error by Brown first baseman Jonathan Christopherson. With two outs and Bueno on third, senior shortstop Max Wieland grounds the ball in the hole on the right side and beats it out for an infield RBI single!! Bueno scores and the game is tied, 1-1.

Brown senior shortstop Jim Schafer (.258, 0 HR, 34 RBI) leads off the top of the 2nd with a line drive over the first baseman's head for a base hit. Schafer steals second and moves to third on a 3-1 ground out. With one out and Schafer 90 feet away, Princeton catcher Bill Needham allows a passed ball. Schafer scores and Brown leads the game, 2-1.

The game then becomes a pitchers duel. Tiger starter Munoz, however, leaves in the 4th inning, as he aggravates his elbow injury. Brady Thompson comes in for Princeton and pitches magnificently, going inning for inning with Bohacek. Brown holds their 2-1 lead as we head into the bottom of the 9th and Bohacek still on the mound. Junior left fielder Chris Gramlich (.266, 0 HR, 23 RBI) leads off with a base hit to left. Gramlich is replaced by pinch runner Ken Gross, who moves to second on a single by first baseman Molly Moore (.265, 0 HR, 22 RBI). Right fielder Steve Henley then grounds weakly back to the pitcher, Bohacek, but an errant throw by the pitcher to first base allows Gross to cross the plate and tie the game, 2-2!!!

The game goes into extra innings after Bohacek settles down to finish the 9th. Nothing happens in the 10th, but Brown scores two runs in the 11th on three hits and two Princeton errors to take the lead, 4-2. Bohacek is still pitching and records two quick outs before allowing a double by Princeton junior second baseman Mike Rexford (.256, 0 HR, 33 RBI). But Bohacek gathers himself and gets the last out to win the game and the series for the Bears. Brown wins 4-2 and takes the series 2-0.