Softball Opens Weekend with Pair of Dominant Victories

Last season, the Harvard softball team scored 19 runs to take down Yale, 8-0 and 11-1, in its doubleheader.

This season, the Crimson managed to top that, scoring a total of 26 runs in 11 innings to sweep the Bulldogs (7-27, 1-11 Ivy) in Saturday’s doubleheader at Dewitt Family Field in New Haven. After grabbing a 14-1 victory in the first game of the day, Harvard (24-10, 11-1 Ivy) kept the momentum going in the following contest and ultimately earned a second win, 11-2.

In Saturday’s wins, the Crimson combined for 26 runs and 30 hits, while the squad’s defense held Yale to only three runs and nine hits.

“Everybody on the team is contributing to the wins,” Alexander said. “The entire team knows that everyone’s working for these wins, and I think that’s why we’re able to have so much energy and do what we do.”

HARVARD 11, YALE 2 (6 inn.)

The Crimson ripped 14 hits while allowing just six to take the second game of the doubleheader, 11-2, in a game shortened by the mercy rule.

After a scoreless first, Harvard was the first team on the board, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning to take an early lead. Freshman second baseman Katherine Lantz and sophomore catcher Allison Scott hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Co-captain first baseman Whitney Shaw then advanced on an error by the Yale infield, loading the bases for junior designated player Jessica Ferri.

Ferri kept the momentum going, singling in Lantz. Scott scored next as senior shortstop Jane Alexander reached on a fielder’s choice, and Shaw provided the final run of the inning, crossing home on sophomore right fielder Shelbi Olson’s ground out.

Following another scoreless inning in the third, the Crimson put up four runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 7-0.

Junior left fielder Ashley Heritage advanced on an error and scored on a single by Olson. Sophomore third baseman Kasey Lange followed that with a double, knocking in Alexander. Olson then scored on a wild pitch, and junior centerfielder Stephanie Regan singled to bring home Lange.

The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to make it 7-2. Neither squad put up runs in the fifth inning.

Harvard scored an additional four runs in the sixth to put Yale in a nine-run hole. Heritage singled and advanced on Alexander’s sacrifice bunt. Olson then singled to right field, and Lange singled in the next at-bat to bring in Olson and Heritage.

The rally continued as Lange scored on freshman second baseman Emily Gusse’s single to left field. The fourth run of the inning came in on a Whitney Shaw double to left center.

The Bulldogs were unable to muster up a run in the bottom of the inning, and the Crimson nabbed the victory, 11-2.

HARVARD 14, YALE 1 (5 inn.)

Four Harvard batters finished with two RBIs and senior hurler Rachel Brown fanned nine to lead the Crimson to a 14-1 victory in just five innings because of the mercy rule.

Harvard nabbed an early advantage in the first inning when Alexander smacked a triple and then crossed home on a Regan double.

Yale quickly answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, tying the score at 1-1.

But that was the last time that the Bulldogs came close to taking the lead, as the Crimson knocked in seven runs in the second inning to make it an 8-1 game.

“When they came back and scored in the first inning, it fired us up,” Brown said. “We didn’t want it to be close at all.”

Heritage roped an RBI single to load the bases for Alexander, who then walked to bring in Shaw. Olson followed that with an RBI single, and Lange singled to plate in two more. Olson then came home on Scott’s sacrifice fly, and Lange scored on an error to put Yale at a seven-run deficit.

In the third inning, Harvard put up one more run when a Regan single plated in Lange, bringing the score to 9-1.

The fourth inning featured a four-run Crimson rally, extending Harvard‘s advantage to 13 runs. Heritage smacked an RBI double and Alexander hit an RBI single to earn the first two runs of the rally. Ferri then homered to drive in the final two runs.

The Crimson plated in one additional run in the top of the fifth inning off of an RBI double by Heritage, who finished the game hitting 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

The Bulldogs failed to score in the bottom of the inning, and Harvard won, 14-1.

—Staff writer Marlee Melendy can be reached at melendy@college.harvard.edu.