Softball Squad Demolishes Smith, 18-0

The Harvard softball team rode four and a half innings of one-hit pitching by Nancy Boutilier and Karen Pelletier to an 18-0 victory over Smith Unicorns on a very cold and windy Webster Field yesterday afternoon.

Coach Kit Morris awarded the pair game balls as they came within one out of hurling a combined no-hitter.

Boutilier mesmerized the Smith batters with her change-up for the first two innings, and Pelletier held them at bay for the final three frames to notch her second victory of the season.

"This was by far the best game I've pitched all season." Pelletier said, and Boutilier noted. "The fact that we had an early lead and the wind at our backs made everything so much easier."

A single in the top of the fifth ended the Unicorns' frustration and moments later miserable weather and an impending thunderstorm ended the game.

"It was to cold out there, and it was pretty evident that we didn't have a contest." Morris said, "so we decided to call it once we had a legal game."

Fortunately, before the skies threatened, the Crimson provided some thunder and lightning of their own. Pounding out 14 hits and running the bases with abandon, the nine put the hapless Smith squad to shame.

The Crimson tallied 11 runs in the first inning, as Smith's attempts to retire the side proved an exercise in futility.

Indian Givers

Even when the Harvard nine tried to hand the Unicorns an out, they refused to accept the gift.

After a failed squeeze attempt, two Harvard baserunners--Gill Raney and Alissa Friedman--found themselves sharing third base, but the Unicorn infield allowed Friedman to return to second safely.

Open Door

The Crimson's solid hitting and the Unicorn's ineptitude continued for the next three innings. Betty 'she's so hot, you'll melt if you stand near her" Ippolito collected two hits--a single and a double--and two RBI's. Elaine Holpuch cracked her fourth homer of the season, and, in the bottom of the third, designated hitter Sarah LeBlond scored the 16th run of the game when three consecutive Smith errors let her circle the bases.

Great Expectations

The Crimson had expected a much better contest from the Unicorns, who earlier this year played Ivy League power Yale and lost by a respectable 5-2 score.

"It's my understanding that Smith was unable to bring its best squad today." Morris said after the game, "but the pitcher we saw was the one who held Yale to five runs, and that is certainly encouraging.

The game's early conclusion should benefit the Crimson, which must play six times in the next five days. After facing Northeastern and Tufts during the week, they will play four games at the Ivy League tournament at the University of Pennsylvania this weekend.