Batswomen Share Jumbo Double-Dip

Tufts learned a lesson yesterday. Don't make the Harvard softball team angry.

After losing the first game, 2-1, on a highly controversial non-call, the Crimson (13-10 overall, 2-0 Ivy) came back to capture Game Twowith a vengeance, crushing the Jumbos, 12-1.

Game one was utter frustration for Harvard.

With two on and two out in the top of the second inning, Harvard right-hander Lee Polikoff got the batter to pop up to shortstop. End of the inning, right? Wrong.

As Rachel Donaldson moved to get the fly, she found a Tufts runner directly in her path--certain runner's interference. No call. Ball drops. Tufts leads, 1-0.

The Crimson tied the score in the bottom half of the inning when Co-Captain Nancy Prior drew a one-out bases loaded walk from Jumbo pitcher Tracy Cleverdon. But Harvard left the bases loaded, a problem which was to plague them throughout the rest of the game.

"We just couldn't connect at the important times," Beth Wambach said. "It was really frustrating because we had done that over the weekend."

Tufts scored the winning run in the third. With a runner on first, Co-Captain Lora Rowning relieved Polikoff. But the senior, just recovered from her thumb injury, had trouble finding the plate. Three walks later, Tufts once again had the lead.

Freshman Julie Fromholz replaced Rowning and was virtually untouchable.

Cleverdon, on the other hand, was getting hammered. Harvard, however, simply could not score. The Crimson stranded nine runners in scoring position.

"We were a little flat in the first game," Prior said. "It wasn't that we were outplayed, and it wasn't that we were playing badly. We just didn't do what we had to do."

When the game ended, Tufts celebrated as if it had won the NCAAs.

"After they celebrated, we really wanted to get back at them," Wambach said.

Harvard took out its hitting frustrations in Game Two.

Led by Bev Armstrong's two two-run triples, the Crimson pounded away at Tufts right-hander Kate van Quern.

"We showed a lot of character in coming back to take the second game," Prior said. "Everyone really came together."

The senior catcher also noted that the first game may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Crimson.

"It was a game we should have won," Prior said. "It will serve as a reminder that we have to be ready to play every time out."