Rain-weary Softball Falls to Terriers

Yesterday's game against Boston University was supposed to allow the Crimson to have some out-of-league fun at the end of the season. Instead, with rain postponing a good portion of its schedule, Harvard found itself with an unnecessary distraction in the midst of an Ivy League championship race.

Taking on the red-hot Terriers (26-13, 13-3 America East), Harvard (12-18, 5-0) was limited to five hits in a 5-2 loss.

The game showcased two teams at the top of their conferences. BU, best in the America East league, has won 17 of its last 18 games. The Crimson had gotten rained out most of last weekend, but with a victory over Penn remained undefeated in the Ivies.

Pitching, as usual, was the key to the afternoon.

Both Harvard starter Chelsea Thoke and BU's Robyn King came out firing, with Thoke striking out five in her two innings of work. King gave up one hit and also struck out five before she was pulled in the fourth inning.

The Terriers seized the opportunity when sophomore Suzanne Guy came into the game in the top of the third in relief of Thoke.

BU Shortstop Nili Schnairsohn drove in the first run, knocking in second baseman Kerry Herr with a bloop single. First baseman Amy Parker, who had doubled before the first run and moved to third off Schnairsohn's hit, then stole home.

Harvard was down 2-0 before Guy recorded an out. BU added another run later in the inning to go up 3-0 and never relinquished the lead.

Both teams pitched strategically and effectively over the next three innings. Freshman Tiffany Whitton replaced Guy in the fifth and proceeded to strike out the side. The Terriers used two more pitchers the rest of the game, and it seemed to keep the Crimson off-balance.

"It took us a while to get a hang of [King]," Harvard co-captain Ghia Godfree said. "Every time we started adjusting, they brought someone new in. Their pitchers were quicker than the rest of the teams we've played in the region."

Harvard scored its first run in the sixth. Junior Jen Crusius walked, stole second and then advanced to third on a grounder by Whitton. Godfree then ripped a double into left-center to drive in Crusius and pull the Crimson to within two.

BU reliever Mary Colleran lost no composure, however, and got the final two outs of the inning with the next two batters.

The Terriers added two insurance runs in the top half of the seventh. With runners on first and second, Parker hit a weak grounder back to the pitcher. An ordinary play turned ugly as Godfree dropped the ball, allowing both Parker to reach safely and a run to score.

Schnairsohn then hit a single and drove in one more to put BU up 5-2.

Even with the Crimson bats largely silent on the afternoon, they lit up for one final threat in the bottom of the seventh.

Sophomore Sarah Koppel took Colleran's 2-2 offering over the left field fence, hitting her sixth home run of the season. Following a strikeout, third baseman Crystal Springer singled. The Terriers struck out one more before senior Jessie Amberg singled, putting Springer on second. With two on and two out, Whitton was unable to capitalize, flying out to left field for the final out.

Despite its lack of offensive production, Harvard used its own pitching prowess to stay close to the streaking Terriers. In addition to Thoke's strikeouts, the Crimson tagged on six more.

Ultimately, though, a stronger Terrier team, rife with pitching, didn't have much of a problem keeping the Crimson at bay.

It also appeared as if Harvard wasn't focused on the immediate game.

"Mentally, we weren't all there," Godfree said. "We were looking ahead to Thursday."

Harvard resumes Ivy play against Dartmouth tomorrow, aiming for the league title.

On Saturday, Harvard will travel to New Haven to make up Ivy games against Penn and Yale before returning home Sunday to face Princeton.