Softball Sweeps Double-Header Games

The Harvard softball team opened its home season with two wins in a doubleheader over Rhode Island. In a dominant pitching display, the Crimson prevailed by scores of 11-1 and 2-1.

Times have been rough recently for Harvard (7-12), which was riding a four-game losing streak into the twinbill. However, it appeared that this recent form could not have been further from the players’ minds as they came out all guns blazing.

“I think we came out with a lot of fire,” Crimson coach Jenny Allard said. “I think we came out really ready and attacked early.”

HARVARD 2, RHODE ISLAND 1

For all that offense was the name of the first game, defense dominated the second encounter.

It was a very tight affair throughout as strong pitching by both sides kept the other at bay. The poor fielding from the Rams (5-15) that had amplified Harvard’s explosive start remained into the second game. Three errors from Rhode Island allowed the Crimson to score two runs in the first inning off just one double from sophomore Katherine Lantz.

While it appeared that another big win was in the cards for Harvard, Rams pitcher Erika Szymanski kept her team in the game by holding Harvard scoreless for the next five innings.

“ [Szymanski] was really effective against us,” Allard said. “We didn’t make adjustments throughout the game, and that’s why we didn’t score more runs [in the second game].”

Harvard certainly had its chances to take the game away from Rhode Island but were unable to convert. In both the third and fifth innings, two players were left on base but after the disastrous opening inning, the Rhode Island fielding had tightened up and was no longer committing any errors.

The stage was set for a dramatic seventh inning as freshman closer Jamie Halula came in to pitch.

“We weren’t worried,” Allard said. “We knew Jamie could close it out and she did a good job, she has great movement on the ball, [and] she remained poised throughout.”

Halula only gave up two hits and one run, earning a save for herself and a win for the team and starting pitcher Gabrielle Ruiz.

“You’ve just got to hit spots,” sophomore pitcher Gabrielle Ruiz said. “It’s patience. It’s not even how fast you throw it, it’s not what you’re throwing, you’ve just got to throw the ball where they can’t hit it.”

HARVARD 11, RHODE ISLAND 1

By the end of the second inning, Harvard had already all but put the first game to bed. After a walk and a hit in the first inning, junior Kasey Lange launched her third home run of the season over right field to start things off for the Crimson.

That was only the beginning of the Harvard onslaught. The Rams were forced to pull their opening pitcher after she gave up two more hits, two more walks, and hit a batter without getting any more outs in the second inning. And yet the tide was still not stemmed as Harvard’s batting lineup went rampant.

Sophomore Katherine Appelbe eventually grounded out to third to end the run, but the damage was already done. Harvard had scored six runs on three hits in a monster inning taking the score to 9-0.

Harvard’s attack cooled after that, going scoreless in the third before freshman Alyssa Siegmann hit a two-RBI single in the fourth. Errors cost the Rams the ability to stay competitive, committing eleven in the four innings of the first game.

This relentless offensive performance was complemented by a complete defensive effort from the Crimson. Freshman pitcher Morgan Groom gave up five hits but no runs in the first four innings and senior Jess Ferri kept Rhode Island to a solitary dab on the scoreboard to ensure that Harvard did not have to bat again.

“[Morgan Groom] was hitting her spots, moving the ball around the zone and I think it was hard for them to settle in on what she was throwing where,” Allard said. “She just had a really good performance today. And then Jess Ferri came in and she hasn’t got a lot of time on the mound, so it was nice to have her come in and get some innings of work, too.”

“I think today and all of our preseason preparation has been good for us,” Allard added. “We know what we need to do and I think we’re just ready to get league play started.”