W. Softball Strikes Out in Cambridge

After a hopeful outing to Rhode Island on Thursday, the Harvard women's softball team returned to Cambridge for the weekend and was greeted by disappointment.

In its two doubleheaders this weekend the Crimson was only able to squeeze out one win. It went 0-2 against Maine and 1-1 versus Vermont to bring its record to 6-12 on the season.

Despite a game-long lead against the Lady Blackbears of Maine in game one, Harvard gave up a number of runs late in the game and suffered a 9-6 loss.

It was much of the same in game two with the Crimson again darting out to an early lead. Harvard hoisted itself up to a 7-1 lead by the bottom of the third inning, but was broken by an eight run rampage by the Bears in the top of the fourth.

Junior pitcher Jana Meader walked two batters and then gave up a three-run homer in the fourth that turned the tide of the game.

"Maine's three-run homer just broke us," senior outfielder Nicole Desharnais said. "After that the momentum really swung for them and we just couldn't get it back."

Harvard tried to stay close but was unable to get back on top as Maine went on to win the contest 15-11.

The high winds blowing through Soldier's Field Saturday afternoon may have been helpful for hitters (Harvard had 17 runs on the day), but they proved to be very frustrating for the defense.

"The wind was blowing straight out," Desharnais said. "Everything that was hit was going long. We had a lot of balls going all the way out to the fences."

The spring gales may have calmed down on Sunday afternoon, but the Crimson continued to struggle.

Harvard split games with Vermont, losing 7-4 in the first before taking the second 8-7.

After entertaining a close 2-1 lead in the second inning. Vermont put in five innings of solid hitting to undo the Crimson.

Crimson junior Elizabeth Walker was busy at the plate going 3-for-4 with one RBI in an effort to keep the game close. She was helped by senior first-baseman Ann Kennon, who contributed six RBIs on the day.

Harvard was finally able to pull out a win in game four of its weekend series. Vermont led 7-2 until the fifth inning when the Crimson put on an impressive comeback.

Desharnais, one of the stronger hitters for game two, got on with a double and was sent home by pinch-hitter Nancy Johnson.

Later in the inning sophomore Amy Reinhard got on second base and was able to score on a Vermont error off a bunt.

In the top of seventh with the Crimson clinging to a one-run lead Walker stepped up to the mound to put the game away for Harvard.

After junior Jana Meader walked two Vermont players with two outs, Walker was called to the field and proceeded to strike out the next Vermont batter and secure Harvard's only victory of the weekend.