GAME INFORMATION
GAME 17 - Cornell at Harvard
FIRST PITCH: Saturday, April 4 - 12 p.m.
SITE: O'Donnell Field (1,600) - Cambridge, Mass.

GAME 18 - Cornell at Harvard
FIRST PITCH: Saturday, April 4 - approx. 2:30 p.m.
SITE: O'Donnell Field (1,600) - Cambridge, Mass.
LIVE STATS: www.GoCrimson.com

GAME 19 - Cornell at Dartmouth
FIRST PITCH: Sunday, April 5 - 12 p.m.
SITE: Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park (650) - Hanover, N.H.

GAME 20 - Cornell at Dartmouth
FIRST PITCH: Sunday, April 5 - approx. 2:30 p.m.
SITE: Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park (650) - Hanover, N.H.
LIVE STATS: www.DartmouthSports.com
LIVE AUDIO: www.DartmouthSports.com

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Currently tied atop the Ivy League Gehrig Division standings with Columbia, the Cornell baseball team will try to open up a lead in the division race this weekend when it travels to Harvard and Dartmouth for a pair of doubleheaders. The Big Red and Crimson will square off on Saturday before Cornell heads into New Hampshire for a matchup with Dartmouth on Sunday. First pitch of both doubleheaders is scheduled for 12 p.m.

ABOUT THE BIG RED
Cornell enters this weekend's action with a 2-2 Ivy League mark and a 4-12 record overall. The Big Red opened Ivy League play last weekend against Brown and Yale, dropping the first game of both doubleheaders before coming back to win the nightcap. On Saturday against Brown, freshman Brian Billigen led five Big Red players with multi-hit efforts in game two, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored. Junior Matt Langseth added three hits while Domenic Di Ricco, Jadd Schmeltzer and Nate David each had a pair of hits. Stephen Osterer got the win with two-thirds of an inning of relief to even his record at 1-1 on the year. Tuesday against Yale, junior Tony Bertucci had six strong innings as the Big Red took a 4-2 win over the Bulldogs in game two, striking out five batters for the victory. David Rochefort picked up his second save of the season in the contest. Scott Hardinger went 3-for-7 against the Bulldogs and Billigen was 3-for-6 to lead the offense. Senior Nathan Ford leads the Cornell offense with a .339 average on the year, while he and Nate David are tied for the team lead with three home runs apiece. On the mound, Mickey Brodsky has a 3.50 earned-run average in 18.0 innings of work, while Matt Hill has fanned a team-high 19 batters.

ABOUT THE CRIMSON
Harvard enters the weekend at 2-2 in the Ivy League and 4-17 overall, picking up a split last weekend against Penn and Columbia. The Crimson is led offensively by Matt Rogers, who has a team-best .413 batting average to go along with team highs in home runs (6) and runs batted in (23). Among Harvard's regular pitchers, Jonah Klees leads the way with a 3.94 earned-run average in 16.0 innings of work, while Brent Suter has 26 strikeouts to lead all hurlers.

ABOUT THE BIG GREEN
Dartmouth is 4-0 in league play and 6-9 on the year after sweeping Penn and Columbia last weekend. The Big Green is led by Nick Santomauro's .383 batting average, with Santomauro and Ray Allen tied with four home runs apiece. Santomauro has driven in a team-best 13 runs and scored 14 times on the young season. Ben Murray has a 3.38 earned-run average in 13.1 innings to lead all regular hurlers. Dartmouth pitchers have tallied just 65 strikeouts in 123 innings of work this season.

CLOSING THE DOOR
While Cornell has just four wins on the young season, junior David Rochefort has settled into his role as the team's closer. Rochefort has a pair of saves this year, picking up his second on Tuesday against Yale, and has struck out 15 batters in 11 innings of work. Opponents are hitting just .209 against him this season, allowing just nine singles and no extra base hits.

ENJOYING IVY PITCHING
Cornell's hitters have had their share of struggles this season, but that appears things may be turning around with the start of Ivy League play. On the year, the Big Red is hitting just .262 as a team, but that number jumps to .308 in league action.

LARCENY ON THE BASEPATHS
Cornell has been aggressive on the basepaths this season, swiping 15 bases in 19 attempts. Nate David has been the biggest contributor to that number, going 5-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season. Cornell is 4-for-4 in stolen bases in league play, with David swiping a pair and Brian Billigen and Matt Langseth both stealing one. By comparison, opposing runners have been thrown out in all three stolen base attempts against the Big Red in league action this season.

A GREAT START
Freshman Brian Billigen has made a quick adjustment to Ivy League pitching, collecting six hits in his first nine at-bats in league play. Billigen also has a pair of runs scored and three driven in on a triple and five singles.

RECORD WATCH
Senior Nathan Ford is threatening the school's all-time career batting average record of .362, held by Erik Rico. Ford entered the season second at .358, but has slipped to third behind Mike Kalfopoulos' .356 average. Ford is batting .339 on the season to lead the Big Red hitters.

UP NEXT
Cornell returns home for a Wednesday contest against Binghamton at 3 p.m. at Hoy Field, a game that can be seen through the Cornell RedCast subscription service.