Softballers Almost Perfect

Almost perfect, but not quite. But hey, they'll take the wins.

The members of Harvard's women's softball team came out on top at Soldier's field, going 2-1 over the weekend. The Crimson (16-25) hoisted themselves ever closer to the top of their dark, dank losing cellar with a doubleheader split against Brown on Saturday and a decisive victory over UMass Lowell in singlegame action yesterday.

Junior Elizabeth Walker turned in a stunning performance in game one against the Bears, holding Brown scoreless until the top of the seventh. Harvard manhandled Brown for six innings, establishing a 5-0 lead.

"We all played really well," captain Nancy Johnson said. "The defense was all there and our offense was strong. They just started hitting in the seventh..."

And hit they did. With two down in the top of the seventh Brown began connecting for the first time all day. In fact, their connections proved good enough for six runs before the frustrated Crimson could chalk up another our.

Harvard's final inning at the plate proved fruitless as the Bears put them away three-up-three-down. The mesmerized Crimson returned to the dugout with a 6-5 loss.

"Everybody was bummed out after the first game, but we came out strong for the second," senior catcher Christine Vogt said.

The Crimson came out swinging in game two. Melissa Kruedder, Amy Reinhard and Katina Lee jump-started Harvard's offense with three straight doubles.

"It was a balanced offensive attack," Johnson said.

The barrage of hits continued for Harvard as it went ahead 5-0 by the top of the third. With Crimson pitcher Jana Meader on the mound, it was all the Bears could do to watch the Crimson speed ahead. The game was ended by the eight-run mercy rule in the sixth inning, the Crimson winning 10-2.

Harvard faced off against UMass Lowell yesterday morning. Galvanized by the previous day's performance and the fact that it was the last home of the season, the Crimson brutalized the squad, 8-0, in five innings.

Harvard went up 3-0 in the first and followed with two more runs in the third. Freshmen Katina Lee sent the ball out of the park in the top of the third to bring in Vogt from second and to put the score at 5-0.

With a 7-0 score in the fifth, Danielle Feinberg took to the plate to send home Vogt from second and UMass back to Lowell.

The second game of the series was called after half of an inning due to rain.

These games marked the final games of the team's home schedule. Next weekend the women will round out the season in New Hampshire, where the Crimson will take on Dartmouth.