CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Harvard freshman Liam Wilson capped a four-run comeback in the ninth inning for the host Crimson (8-21, 5-8 Ivy League), solidifying its doubleheader sweep of Cornell (10-16, 5-9 Ivy League) at an unseasonably warm O'Donnell Field on Saturday afternoon.

After winning the opening game 8-5, Harvard began the nightcap by taking a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning before Cornell scored eight unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings to take a three-run lead. In the ninth inning, the Crimson hit a pair of two-run home runs to secure the series victory over the Big Red and complete the doubleheader sweep.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Harvard's top four hitters combined for nine of the Crimson's 11 hits, going a collective 9-for-16 at the plate and scoring seven of the Crimson's eight runs in its 8-5 victory over Cornell in the opening game of Saturday's twin bill at O'Donnell Field.

The Crimson's No. 2 hitter, Matt Giberti, led the Crimson's offense by going 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Jack Rickheim, Harvard's leadoff hitter, reached base five out of six times at bat, going 2-for-3, drawing two walks, and being hit by a pitch. George Cooper and Gio Colasante, the No. 3 and No. 4 hitters, each contributed two hits, with Colasante adding one RBI. William Lybrook drove in a team-high three RBI as part of a 1-for-2 effort.

Callan Fang earned the victory for Harvard after allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits over his six-inning start, during which he walked two, and struck out six Big Red batters. Both of Fang's walks occurred in the first inning, where Cornell drew a pair of one-out walks, forcing the junior right-hander to throw 28 pitches in the frame.

Ryan McHugh secured the victory for the Crimson, tossing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn his third save of the season.

Senior first baseman Kyle Musser led the Cornell offense, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Junior right fielder Caden Wildman and senior designated hitter Ryan Porter each finished 2-for-5 with a double, while junior third baseman TJ Swidorski completed the Big Red's quartet of players with multi-hit games, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Junior right-handed pitcher Carson Mayfield allowed four runs on five hits during his five-inning outing, which included three walks, five strikeouts, and he also hit four Harvard batters.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Gus Magill was the losing pitcher of record after allowing two runs on two hits in 0.1 innings. Senior left-handed pitcher William Jaun (2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 SO) and junior right-handed pitcher Josh Shea (0.1 IP, 1 BB) also saw action out of the bullpen for the Big Red.

After Rickheim and Giberti each hit singles to start Harvard's half of the first inning, a sacrifice fly from Colasante and a two-out RBI single by Tyler Shulman gave the Crimson an early 2-0 lead.

Cornell promptly responded to Harvard's two-run inning by scoring four runs in the top of the second to establish its own two-run lead.

Three straight singles by Porter, sophomore second baseman Owen Carlson, and Swidorski, set up senior center fielder Jakobi Davis to cut Harvard's lead in half with a sacrifice fly. Senior left fielder John Quinlan followed by tying the game with an RBI single on a safety squeeze play, setting up Musser for his bloop two-run double to center field after Giberti couldn't make a diving catch.



Harvard tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single by Giberti, before the Crimson regained the lead on a sacrifice fly by Lybrook in the third inning. Lybrook's sacrifice fly plated Colasante from second base after Quinlan made a catch while crashing into the outfield wall.

The Crimson were poised to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after Mayfield issued a pair of walks and a single by Rickheim loaded the bases with no outs. Cornell's right-hander thwarted Harvard's aspirations of taking the lead by generating a pair of strikeouts and inducing an inning-ending popup, which he caught.

Following a scoreless fifth inning, Harvard regained the lead, 6-4, in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk and Lybrook's second sacrifice fly.

Cornell cut Harvard's lead in half in the top of the eighth when Wildman started the inning with a double to the left-center field gap and subsequently scored on a two-out RBI single by Swidorski.



After Davis drew a two-out walk, McHugh induced an inning-ending popout to preserve Harvard's one-run lead, which later increased to 8-5 in the home half of the frame due to a one-out RBI single by Lybrook and an RBI fielder's choice on a safety squeeze by Jordan Kang.

A trio of singles from Musser, sophomore shortstop Kevin Hager, and Wildman loaded the bases for Cornell with one out in the ninth. McHugh kept the Big Red off the scoreboard after striking out Porter and making an impressive between-the-legs snag of a ground ball from Carlson to close the contest.

GAME TWO RECAP
Two-run home runs from Jordan Kang and Liam Wilson in the ninth inning propelled Harvard to a walk-off victory over Cornell, 9-8, completing the doubleheader sweep and securing the series win.

Kang and Sawyer Feller each recorded three hits, highlighting the five Crimson hitters with multiple hits. George Cooper, Gio Colasante, and William Lybrook each contributed two hits. Lybrook, Kang, and Wilson each drove in two runs.

Harvard's starting pitcher Truman Pauley was outstanding in his outing, giving up two runs on three hits, walking three batters, and striking out 10, marking Pauley's second consecutive appearance with a double-digit strikeout total.

Jack Smith was the winning pitcher for the Crimson after allowing two unearned runs and walking a batter in his two innings.

Senior first baseman Kyle Musser was the only Cornell batter to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, and two RBI. Freshman catcher Mason Barela joined Musser by hitting a home run, marking his first collegiate round-tripper.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Huxley Holcombe struck out six batters in his five-inning outing, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits while issuing no walks.

Senior right-handed pitcher Chris Ellison delivered two scoreless innings in relief, walking two batters and striking out two during his outing. Freshman right-handed pitcher John Hegarty was charged with the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in 1.1 innings while recording two walks and two strikeouts.

Colasante opened the scoring emphatically, blasting the first pitch he saw from Holcombe into right-center field with an exit velocity of 110 mph and a distance of 453 feet.

With a runner on first in the third inning, Musser hit a triple down the right-field line after Harvard right fielder Kyle Mooney failed to make a diving catch. Mooney redeemed himself for the missed catch by initiating a perfect relay at the outfield wall to get Carlson out at home, preserving the Crimson's one-run lead.

The Crimson widened its lead in the bottom of the third inning when Cornell junior third baseman TJ Swidorski made a throwing error, allowing one Harvard run to score before Lybrook singled home another run with a two-out base hit.

Harvard's lead increased to 5-0 in the fifth inning after the Crimson scored twice in the frame. Following another Cornell error that allowed a run to score, Holcombe attempted a pickoff at first base with runners at the corners, ultimately leading to a successful double steal as Colasante dashed for home while Lybrook was caught in a rundown between first and third. Musser's throw to the plate was not in time, allowing Lybrook to take second base easily.

Barela stymied Harvard's shutout bid in the seventh inning by hitting a towering two-out, two-run home run down the left-field line, marking his collegiate round-tripper and trimming the Crimson's lead to 5-2.



A six-run eighth inning converted the Crimson's three-run advantage into a three-run lead for Big Red. Musser capitalized on a leadoff single by sophomore second baseman Owen Carlson by hammering a two-run home run to left-center field, which sparked Cornell to score twice on two Harvard throwing errors, once on a wild pitch on ball four of a walk drawn by Porter, and once on a sacrifice fly by senior center fielder Jakobi Davis.



After Hegarty issued a one-out walk, Kang logged his fourth home run of the year, making it a one-run contest at 8-7, with a blast to left-center field. Feller continued Harvard's string of consecutive hits with a single through the left side of the infield, setting up Wilson for his walk-off home run, which solidified the Crimson's series victory and doubleheader sweep.

GAME NOTES
• Saturday was the 174th and 175th games played between Cornell and Harvard. The Crimson increased its lead in the series to 115-60.

• With its doubleheader sweep, it was Harvard's first time sweeping a twin bill over Cornell since posting 7-5 and 11-5 victories on March 25, 2022, at Hoy Field in Ithaca. The last time Harvard swept a doubleheader at O'Donnell Field over the Big Red was on April 13, 2019 (8-6 and 7-1).

• The home runs hit by Barela and Musser in the latter game increased the Big Red's season total for home runs to 31, ranking as the sixth-most home runs in program history. It is the fourth consecutive season that Cornell has hit 30-plus home runs (33 in 2022, 30 in 2023, 52 in 2024).

MOST HOME RUNS IN SINGLE SEASON
Cornell Program History
1. 52, 2024
2. 38, 2009
3. 35, 1999
4. 34, 2001
5. 33, 2022
6. 31, 2025
T7. 30, 1995
T7. 30, 2010
T7. 30, 2023

• Behind his five strikeouts, Mayfield secured sole possession of the 34th-most strikeouts in the Big Red's modern era (since 1947), surpassing Harvey Kaufman (104 – 1960-62), Erik Rico (105 – 1999-02), Blake Hamilton (106 – 2004-06), and Thomas MacLeod (107 – 1969-70).

MOST CAREER STRIKEOUTS BY A PITCHER
Cornell Modern Era (Since 1947)
1. 217, Greg Myers (1979-82)
2. 203, Steve Hamrick (1973-74)
------------------------------------
T31. 111, Ivan Tylawsky (1965-67)
T31. 111, John Dougherty (1970-72)
T31. 111, Bob Dutkowsky (1975-77)
34. 108, Carson Mayfield (2023-Present)
35. 107, Thomas MacLeod (1969-70)
36. 106, Blake Hamilton (2004-06)
37. 105, Erik Rico (1999-02)
38. 104, Harvey Kaufman (1960-62)
T39. 102, Dan Baysinger (2001-04)
T39. 102, Noah Keller (2023-Present)
T41. 100, John Giese (1969-71)
T41. 100, Tony Siedl (1975-76)

• Musser's three-hit game in the opener marked the fourth time this season he has recorded at least three hits in a game, tying Ryan Porter for the team lead in the category. Porter has three three-hit games and a four-hit performance against Towson on March 16.

• Musser batted a team-best .556 on the day (5-for-9), posting a slugging percentage of 1.222 after three of his five hits went for extra bases (double, triple, home run). His triple in the nightcap was his first career triple, to go along with driving in a team-high four RBI on the day.

• Wildman extended his hit streak to a season-high eight games and upped his on-base streak to 11 games after recording base hits in both games of the twin bill. He has reached safely in 17 of his last 18 appearances.

• Sophomore catcher Mark Quatrani has reached safely in his last 13 games and has a hit in 11 games during the span. Over his collegiate career, Quatrani has been on base at least once in 50 of his 56 career games (89.3 percent).

• Quinlan has reached base safely in all 25 games in which he has registered at least one plate appearance, which also extended his on-base streak to 33 games, dating back to last season. He has reached base in 71 of his last 76 games, dating back to the 2023 season, and has a hit in 58 of those contests (76.3 percent).

UP NEXT
Harvard will look to sweep the regular-season series from Cornell for the first time since 2019 when the Big Red and Crimson return to O'Donnell Field for the series finale on Easter Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon with game action streamed live on ESPN+.