Harvard Finishes Ivy Season With Sweep of Dartmouth

The Harvard softball team went out with a bang yesterday afternoon as it swept Dartmouth at Soldiers Field to finish off its Ivy League season.

On the strength of two pitching gems from sophomore Chelsea Thoke and freshman Suzanne Guy, the Crimson (20-18, 10-2 ivy) bested the Big Green (13-26, 2-10) by the final scores of 4-2 and 4-1.

In the opener, Harvard took control in the second inning. Co-captain Terry Teller led of the inning with a home run, and the Crimson added two more in the frame to give it the lead for good.

Thoke struck out 10 in seven innings of work en route to her 11th victory of the season.

In the back half of the twin bill, Harvard was paced by senior Tara LaSovage, who went 3-for-3 with 2 RBI in her final game at Soldiers Field.

Guy scattered nine hits in seven innings, striking out three for her fifth win of the year.

Harvard 4, Dartmouth 1

The Crimson scored right out of the box to begin the second contest of the afternoon.

LaSovage led of the bottom half of the first inning with a single, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman left fielder Lisa Watanabe. LaSovage advanced to third on a groundout, and then stole home to put Harvard up 1-0.

Dartmouth struck back in the top of the second, however, notching an unearned run on three singles. But that was all that the Big Green would score on the afternoon, as Guy held Dartmouth scoreless the rest of the way.

In the bottom half of the third frame, the Crimson took the lead for good, again sparked by LaSovage. She led off the inning with a double to right-center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. LaSovage then scored the go-ahead, and eventually game-winning, run on a two-out Teller single to center.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Harvard struck again. Junior first baseman Ghia Godfree led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on sophomore catcher Mairead McKendry's single to center. LaSovage later ripped a one-out double to center field to drive in both runs, for the final margin.

Harvard 4, Dartmouth 2

Dartmouth opened up the front end of the doubleheader with an unearned run in the top of the first inning, putting the Crimson behind early on.

Harvard struck back, however, in the bottom of the second to take command of the game.

Teller led of the second frame with a solo home run to tie the game at one apiece.

Then, with one out, Godfree laced a single to center field to start a Crimson rally. McKendry hit into a fielder's choice, forcing Godfree out at second. But with two away, junior center fielder Jessie Amberg hit a single down the left field line, putting runners on first and second for senior third baseman Meredith Bagley.

And Bagley didn't disappoint, stroking a two-run double into left field to put Harvard up for good, 3-1.

Bagley scored a run for the Crimson in the bottom of the six to increase the lead to 4-1. The Big Green then notched a single run in the top of the seventh for the final score.