Bulldogs Lead Red Rolfe Divison

West Haven – Scott Politz put together a brilliant pitching performance. Then Chasen Ford picked up right where Politz left off.

The pair of righthanders combined for an impressive day, leading the Yale baseball team to a sweep of Princeton on Friday at historic Yale Field.

Politz allowing three runs on four hits in a 6-3 win over the Tigers in the opener. Then Ford followed, scattering six hits and giving up one run, while striking out five, in a 6-1 victory in the finale. Both pitched complete games.

"Obviously it was a good day for us," head coach John Stuper said. "Everything was predicated on pitching. Scott Politz (3-3) pitched great in the first game. I don't think Chasen Ford (3-3) threw a fastball below 90 MPH. He was overpowering. First-pitch strikes, getting the leadoff hitter, everything we preach, he did. We played well behind them."

Coming in, it was a matchup of the two Ivy League division leaders. With the victory, Yale (9-18-1, 4-2 Ivy) builds on its lead in the Red Rolfe Division.

Friday's doubleheader was moved from Saturday to avoid poor weather.

Trailing 2-0 in the first game, Yale tied it up in the third. Nate Adams reached after getting hit by a pitch and Tom O'Neill doubled. Both scored on an error.

The Bulldogs broke it open in the fifth. Simon Whiteman plated Nate Adams with a triple and then Richard Slenker followed with a two-run home run to left field to give Yale a 5-2 lead. Benny Wanger also tripled in the inning.

"Slenker swings it great even when he makes outs," Stuper said. "He's hitting the ball all over. He's hitting it where it's pitched. He's not trying to pull outside stuff. He's just a good hitter."

Slenker is 5 for his last 11 with four RBIs.

Tim DeGraw singled and later scored on a single by Adams for Yale's final run.

In the second game, Slenker drove in Adams with a double in the opening frame to put Yale up 1-0. Clinging to a 2-1 lead, the Bulldogs lineup erupted for four more runs in the eighth. O'Neill keyed the offensive outburst with a two-run single.

"Tom O'Neill had a good day at the plate," Stuper said. "But if he goes .000, he's playing shortstop for us. He's been as good as I've had at shortstop here."

The Bulldogs will close out their six-game home stand with a doubleheader against Cornell on Sunday. The first game is scheduled for noon. Yale has now won its last three games. 

"As I've said, I figured we'd take some lumps playing this many young guys," Stuper said. "But now these young guys are starting to come around. They are very talented. They will still make mistakes because they are freshmen. But they are coming around and that's why we are playing well as of late."

Filed by Chris Hunn, Yale Sports Publicity