Batswomen Split Twinbill With B.U.

The bragging rights of Beantown in women's softball remained unclaimed yesterday, as Harvard and Boston University split a doubleheader at sun-drenched Soldiers Field.

The showdown of two crosstown rivals quickly became a showcase of two very talented sophomore pitchers--B.U.'s Becky Chattin and Harvard's Christine Carr. Both hurlers were spectacular on the mound and respectively led their teams to victory, with B.U. winning the opener, 4-1, and Harvard advancing, 6-1, in the nightcap.

The split left Harvard's overall record at an even 14-14 for the season. In Ivy play, the Crimson is 1-3 heading into important match-ups with Yale and Cornell this weekend.

In the opener yesterday, Chattin limited the Crimson to eight hits. Meanwhile, the Terriers exploded for three runs in the first inning off Harvard's Julie Fromholz. With Chattin on the mound, the lead proved too large to surmount, and the Crimson fell, 4-1.

The loss, which snapped a three-game Harvard win streak, quickly awoke the Crimson to the task at hand.

"Everyone was upset because we lost in the first game and gave the game up in the first inning," Carr said. "We came back with a vengeance."

The retribution began when the Crimson got its first chance at bat in the bottom of the first inning. Outfielder Katie Fitta led off with a single, just beating the throw to first base. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Fitta to third, the sophomore reached home on a fielder's choice, making the score 1-0. Carr quelled the feisty Terrier bats for most of the game, and the Crimson's one-run lead stood for the first five innings. On the day, Carr allowed two hits and recorded six strikeouts.

Carr has been a star for the Crimson as of late. In Harvard's 3-0 nightcap victory over Stonehill on Tuesday, the sophomore standout allowed only four hits.

"Each outing she becomes a little more confident," Harvard Coach Barry Haskell said. "One of the reasons we wanted her to come to Harvard was her poise on the mound."

A Terrier rally in the top of the sixth, however, broke up Carr's bid for a second straight shutout. Terrier infielder Holly Vietzke led off the frame with a bunt single, and then stole second. After a sacrifice advanced Vietzke to third, the B.U. junior reached home when teammate Kathy Harrison belted a strong infield hit.

But with a baserunner on third and B.U.'s number-four hitter, catcher Meredith Jennings, up at the plate, Carr recorded a decisive strikeout to ease B.U.'s momentum.

And the Crimson bats finally awoke in the bottom of the same frame, much to the dismay of first-year Terrier pitcher Suzanne Barker. A leadoff double by red-hot senior Beth Reilly sparked the Crimson rally.

Harvard loaded the bases with no outs, and the flurry commenced. After Carr's single drove in the gamewinning run, Terrier Coach Laurie LeGoff pulled Barker in favor of another first-year hurler--Heather Roberts.

Roberts was not too effective in curbing the Crimson onslaught. Before the inning was over, Roberts yielded three base hits and four runs.