Let's Take Two! Batswomen Sweep Double Dip in Style

Watching the Bryant College and Harvard softball players between games of yesterdays doubleheader, it wasn't hard to guess which team was drilling which.

While Bryant lounged in the outfield or performed backflips, the Crimson took a little extra fielding practice. Although Harvard didn't beat a powerhouse in Bryant (7-16), the team turned in a solid performance and swept both games, 4-0 and 5-2.

The Crimson (10-8 overall; 0-4 Ivy) did what it needed to pull out a victory in the first game.

Offensively, Harvard produced only five hits, but combined with some heads-up baserunning, it converted them into four runs.

Freshman Jen Meader lofted an 0-2 pitch into right field to start things rolling for Harvard. Junior Kate Fitta followed with one of her patented slap hits to runners on first and second with no outs.

Sophomore Nicole Desharnais stroked a single to center to score Meader. On third base, Fitta provoked an errant throw by catcher Kim Mikula, which went into left field, allowing Fitta to waltz home and giving the Crimson to a 2-0 lead.

Bryant pitcher Jen Flanagan kept Harvard quiet until the fifth, when it struck for two more runs. Another slap hit by Fitta and a single by Desharnais set the stage for junior co-captain Chris Carr, who roped a 2-RBI triple into right center and cemented Harvard's victory at 4-0.

On the defensive end, Harvard was noticably a different team than the one which faced Penn and Princeton this past weekend. Routine plays became routine, but the Crimson were also making the extra plays which can make life easy for a pitcher.

Catcher Chris Vogt made a nice catch of a pop bunt, threw to an alert Carr covering first and doubled up the runner, Murphy, on base after a lead-off single. The double play ended a potential third inning jam.

Freshman pitcher Jen Kimball needed little more help. In seven innings, she mowed down ten batters and allowed only four hits.

"We relaxing a little more, having fun, and the winning has come naturally," sophomore Ann Kennon said.

In the second game of the doubleheader, pitcher Julie Fromholtz continued Harvard's mastery over Bryant's batters. She struck out five batters and surrendered only four hits.

She received support immediately in this game as the Crimson broke through for four first inning runs against pitcher Britt Chanasyk.

Another Desharnais single, a walk to Carr, and a single by Belisle, loaded the bases for senior Liz Resnick, who lined one to left giving Harvard a 1-0 lead. Vogt stepped up to the plate and promptly cleared the bases with a double to the fence.

In the second inning, Harvard added another run to finish their scoring at 5-0. Amy Belisle sloped a sacrifice fly to right and brought home Nancy Johnson.

The Crimson ran into a little trouble in the fourth inning as a leadoff double and two shots right back to the mound left the bases loaded. Michelle Chawnsey roped a pitch down the third base line, scoring two of her teammates. An inning ending put out by Kennon ended Bryant's rally and Fromholtz held Bryant at bay during the game's final innings. HARVARD, 4-0 at Haskell Haven           R  H  E Bryant  000  000  0  --  0  3  1 Harvard  002  020  0  --  4  5  0 HR: Bryant--None; Harvard--None, 3B: Bryant--None; Harvard--Carr. 2B: Bryant--Stone, Lasburg; Harvard--None. E: Bryant--None; Harvard--1. WP: Kimball (5-2); LP: Flanagan (3-8)

HARVARD, 5-3 at Haskell Haven           R  H  E Bryant  000  200  0  --  2  5  1 Harvard  410  000  0  --  5  8  3 HR: Bryant--None; Harvard--None, 3B: Bryant--None; Harvard--None. 2B: Bryant--Chawnsy, Fontaine; Harvard--Vogt. E: Bryant--1; Harvard--3. WP: Fromholtz (3-3); LP: Chanasyk (4-7).

HARVARD, 5-3 at Haskell Haven           R  H  E Bryant  000  200  0  --  2  5  1 Harvard  410  000  0  --  5  8  3 HR: Bryant--None; Harvard--None, 3B: Bryant--None; Harvard--None. 2B: Bryant--Chawnsy, Fontaine; Harvard--Vogt. E: Bryant--1; Harvard--3. WP: Fromholtz (3-3); LP: Chanasyk (4-7).