Softball Outduels Hartford Twice, 4-2 and 2-0

When yesterday's softball doubleheader between Harvard and Hartford players were very vocal and full of song. Hartford  2  0 Harvard  4  2

When the twinbill came to a close, the only things coming out of the Hawks' voices were words of praise for the Crimson, who took both games at Soldiers Field--4-2 and 2-0.

Of course, Harvard (17-11, 7-3 Ivy) wouldn't sing "Hit the Road, Jack" back to Hartford (19-14-1), but the Crimson showed its superiority in every aspect of the game.

And Hartford won't be coming back for moooore.

Harvard's pitching was brilliant, its fielding nearly flawless and its bats came through when they needed to. In other words, the Crimson executed its fundamentals solidly, and it is now riding a seven-game winning streak.

"That team [Hartford] today told me that we have a remarkable ball club," Harvard coach Jenny Allard said. "We're opening eyes."

Harvard 4, Hartford 2

The Hartford chorus could have sung the song "Another One Bites the Dust" for game one yesterday. The Hawks, a team that has lost many close games this season, were overrun by the Crimson during the final three innings in a 4-2 Harvard victory.

The Hawks took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning on a two-out two-RBI single off the bat of Michelle O'Toole. The Hawks had registered but two hits off freshman pitcher Heather Brown through the first four innings, but they suddenly put themselves in a position to win.

Harvard ended those thoughts quickly. Freshman Mandy Wills reached second base on an infield single and a throwing error with two outs, and freshman Jenny Franzese tomahawked a 210-foot shot off the centerfield fence for a double to score Wills and tie the game.

The Hawks looked to regain the momentum in the top of the sixth, but Franzese made a diving catch forward to rob Sharon Barboza of a hit and end the inning.

That set the stage for the bottom of the sixth and more clutch Crimson hitting. Sophomores Melissa Kreuder and Katina Lee walked with one out, and freshman Kara Hartl roped a double to deep right-center to score Kreuder. Sophomore Sara Cushman then singled home Lee to make the score 4-2.

"We came through when we needed to," Cushman said. "We had a lot of clutch hitting."

Brown, aided by Harvard's sharp gloves, pitched a complete-game victory, allowing eight hits and one walk. Junior Amy Reinhard made several tough tops at short and used her gun of an arm to nail the players at first.

Reinhard's play all day impressed everyone, leading one person affiliated with Hartford to ask, "Does she have a license for that?"

"We have a really talented defense," Hartl said. "That I think is our biggest asset."

Offensively, Kreuder and Franzese led the way, each going 2-3 with one RBI. Kreuder had singled home junior Danielle Feinberg in the first to give Harvard an early 1-0 lead.

Harvard 2, Hartford 0

A loss in game one wouldn't end the Hawks' catchy jungles, however.

It's just too bad they didn't sing, "I've Got Plenty of Nothing" to describe their offensive performance in game two.

Sophomore Rachel Salzman and freshman Tasha Cupp combined to five-hit and shut out the Hawks in a 2-0 victory, as Hartl's two-run single in the fourth game the pitchers all they needed.

One play set the tone for this game, and it occurred in the top of the first.

With nobody out and Hawk runners on first and second, O'Toole singled to center. The lead baserunner rounded third base and headed for home.

Franzese scooped up the ball and gunned down the runner at the plate as Cushman applied the tag. Salzman proceeded to get the next two batters to pop up to Reinhard, and the Hawks hardly threatened again.

They also made it easier for Harvard to break through in the bottom of the fourth. Kreuder singled to lead off and was safe at second when the shortstop booted Lee's grounder. Cushman then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but pitcher Beth Love made an errant throw to first to load the bases.

Up stepped pinch-hitter Hartl. She feasted on Love's offering, lofting a shot to deep right over the fielder's head to score pinch runner Sue Traub and Lee.

"I had been in a little bit of a slump, but I have pulled myself out of it the past couple of games," said Hartl, who went 2-4 with 3 RBI in the two games.

Cupp relieved Salzman at the top of the fifth and struck out four in three innings of work to pick up the save. Cupp allowed just one hit, while Salzman yielded only four in her four innings of work.

"We had excellent pitching performances today," Allard said. "It was one of the best pitching performances that we've had by the staff."

Ivy Honors

Reinhard earned Ivy League Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, while Cupp was awarded the Ivy League Rookie of the Week award.

Reinhard went on a rampage against Cornell and Pennsylvania this weekend, going 9-13 in four games with a double, two triples, seven runs scored and 4 RBI. Yesterday, the junior shortstop broke the Harvard single-season stolen base record with two in the second game, giving her a total of 17. She broke her own record of 15 that she set last year and is Harvard's all-time leading thief.

Cupp registered three of Harvard's four wins against the Big Red and the Quakers. For the week, Cupp hurled 15 innings and allowed only three earned runs while she struck out 19. Cupp's award is also her second--she won the pitcher of the week award two weeks ago.

Harvard is currently in second place in the Ivies at 7-3, one game ahead of Yale (23-18, 6-4) with two games left. The Crimson hasn't finished as high as second place in six years. Harvard finished fourth in the Ancient Eight last season.

Torrid Princeton (38-6, 12-0) has clinched this year's Ivy League title and has won an astounding 26 games in a row.

HARVARD, 4-2 (GAME ONE) at Soldiers Field   R  R  H  E Hartford  000  020  0  --  2  8< Tab>1 Harvard  100  012  0  --  4  81

HR: None, 3B: None. 2B: Harvard--Franzese, Kreuder, Hartl. E: Hartford--Martin; Harvard--Lee. SB: Hartford--Martin.

WP: Brown (8-3); LP: O'Toole (0-2)

HARVARD, 2-0 (GAME TWO) at Soldiers Field   R  H  E Hartford  000  000  0  --  0  5< Tab>0 Harvard  000  200  0  --  2  6

HR: None, 3B:None). 2B: None. E: Harvard--Franzese, Feinberg. SB: Harvard--Reinhard (2), Franzese, Lee.

WP: Salzman (3-1); LP: Love (7-4); Sv: Cupp

HR: None, 3B: None. 2B: Harvard--Franzese, Kreuder, Hartl. E: Hartford--Martin; Harvard--Lee. SB: Hartford--Martin.

WP: Brown (8-3); LP: O'Toole (0-2)

HARVARD, 2-0 (GAME TWO) at Soldiers Field   R  H  E Hartford  000  000  0  --  0  5< Tab>0 Harvard  000  200  0  --  2  6

HR: None, 3B:None). 2B: None. E: Harvard--Franzese, Feinberg. SB: Harvard--Reinhard (2), Franzese, Lee.

WP: Salzman (3-1); LP: Love (7-4); Sv: Cupp

HR: None, 3B:None). 2B: None. E: Harvard--Franzese, Feinberg. SB: Harvard--Reinhard (2), Franzese, Lee.

WP: Salzman (3-1); LP: Love (7-4); Sv: Cupp