Crimson Keeps Up Streak, Sweeps Penn

After evening its Ivy League record at 3-3 over the weekend, the Harvard softball team (12-15, 5-3 Ivy) continued its winning ways with a pair of victories over a visiting Penn squad Monday afternoon at Soldiers Field. The doubleheader sweep helped the Crimson stretch their Ivy League North Division lead to three games heading into divisional play, which starts next weekend at rival Yale.

The defending Ancient Eight champions could not have chosen a better time to find their stride, as the weekend’s success extends the Crimson’s win streak to five and improves its home record to 7-0.

“This whole weekend was huge for us,” senior captain Shelly Madick said. “We have gained some momentum that helps place pressure on other Ivy League teams when they face us.”

HARVARD 6, PENN 2

The second event was marked by a strong pitching performance by junior Bailey Vertovez, who gave up two runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.

“Bailey did a great job today,” head coach Jenny Allard said. “She kept us in the game and set up Shelly well.”

The Crimson struck in the bottom of the third inning, as freshman Emily Henderson hit a one-out single, stole second base, and scored on a two-out pinch-hit single by sophomore Jessica Pledger. Henderson had three stolen bases in the game, which moved the speedy first-year player into a tie for fifth place on the Harvard single-season steals list with 16 stolen bases in 19 attempts already this season.

“Emily is definitely our leader on base paths,” Allard said. “She did a great job of taking advantage of the situation and getting good jumps off Penn’s pitcher.”

Penn climbed back into the game in the top of the fifth with a two-out, two-run blast from freshman catcher Alisha Prystowsky that tied the game at two. But the Crimson responded a half inning later, exploding for four runs in the frame, thanks to a Quaker error and a three-run double by sophomore Melissa Schellberg.

Madick struck out the side in the sixth and finished off the seventh inning to secure her second win of the day and the 6-2 victory for Harvard.

“Shelly is a great competitor,” Allard said. “It is tough to come back on Shelly late in games when we have the lead.”

Harvard scored early when junior Hayley Bock launched a solo home run over the left field wall in the second. Bock and sophomore Lauren Murphy lead the Crimson in home runs, with four apiece.

HARVARD 3, PENN 2

The Crimson squeezed out a victory in the first game of the afternoon, as freshman Caitlin Bowers came up to pinch-hit with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Schellberg had reached second on a throwing error, and sophomore Margaux Black replaced her on the base paths. Bowers ripped a single just out of the reach of Penn third baseman Taylor Tieman, allowing Black to score from second and giving Harvard the walk-off victory.

“Our pinch hitters have done a great job all year of coming off the bench and getting big hits for us,” Madick said.

Penn took an early lead in the first inning after a pair of Crimson errors allowed a Quaker score. Sophomore starting pitcher Dana Roberts then escaped a nobody-out, bases-loaded jam to keep the game close. The teams traded runs in the second, with Harvard eventually tying the score in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Danielle Kerper sent a blast deep over the left center field fence for a solo opposite-field home run, evening the game at two and setting the table for Bowers’ heroics.

“We had a great team effort over these last two days and had solid, mentally tough wins in tough weather conditions,” Allard said.

“We have a good rivalry against Penn,” Madick added, noting that the Crimson played the Quakers in last year’s Ivy League Championship Series. “It is always nice to go out and do well against them.”