Crimson Heats Up Late To Beat Friars

The Harvard softball team couldn’t have picked a better time to have its best inning of the season.

Locked in a 1-1 stalemate, the Crimson (15-16, 6-2 Ivy) scored a season-high seven runs in the top of the 10th inning and used the effort of three pitchers to turn what had been a classic defensive duel into an 8-1 rout of Providence College (12-19, 3-5 Big East).

After sophomore pitcher Julia Moore held the Friars hitless for the first two innings, Providence got on the board in the third frame when Jen Abrams knocked an RBI single with two on and two out.

Moore was able to force the next batter to groundout to end the inning, allowing only three singles and an earned run over her outing.

Harvard’s bats were all but silent in the early going. Yet, while the Crimson was able to get lead-off singles in the first, fourth, and fifth innings, it remained hitless throughout the rest of the first five innings.

Co-captain Margaux Black pitched spotlessly in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing only two singles and giving up no walks.

“The pitching staff combined for a great game today,” Black said. “We kept the Providence hitters off-balance by using three pitchers.  Julia [Moore] gave us a great start and Rachel [Brown] shut them down in the late innings, giving our hitters a chance to win the game. It was great teamwork all around.”

Harvard threatened in the sixth inning when senior Stephanie Krysiak reached on a fielder’s choice following a walk awarded to junior Ellen Macadam, putting runners on first and second with only one out.  After a double steal moved the runners to second and third, Macadam was thrown out at home when sophomore Whitney Shaw reached on a fielder’s choice.  Freshman Jess Ferri grounded out for the final out of the inning and the Crimson remained down by a run heading into final stretch.

Sophomore pitcher Rachel Brown took the mound in the sixth inning in relief of Black and got off to a shaky start.  Brown recorded the first out but followed with a single and a walk. The runners moved to second and third after the next batter was retired on a fielder’s choice.

The Friars failed on their bid for insurance runs when Brown forced Providence designated hitter Jessie Bryant to strike out swinging.

Harvard would finally equalize in the seventh inning when, down to its last out with runners on first and second, sophomore pinch hitter Mari Zumbro reached on an error by second baseman Justine Stratton. The costly mistake plated freshman Ashley Heritage to even the score at 1-1.

The Crimson had a chance to take the lead when Macadam reached on yet another error, loading the bases for Krysiak.

But the .277 hitter couldn’t come through, as Providence shortstop Jenna Garcia fielded the hit cleanly to send the game into extra innings.

The eighth and ninth innings proved to be more of the same defensive struggle, with each team notching only one single each over the two innings.  Whether Harvard was ready to go home or because it had finally figured out Friars’ pitcher Alicia Grosso, the Crimson finally let it loose in the top of the 10th.

After Macadam’s leadoff double, Krysiak sacrificed to the pitcher to advance Macadam to third. Shaw walked, and Ferri’s fielder’s choice caused Macadam to get thrown out at home.

Co-captain Melissa Schellberg—who is a Crimson sports editor—stepped up to the plate and hit an RBI single to finally break the tie and put Harvard ahead, 2-1.

Stratton’s second error on the day allowed senior Jess Pledger to reach and Ferri to score an unearned run to extend the lead to two.

After a single from senior Jennifer Francis, a double from junior Emily Henderson, and a single from Macadam, the Crimson finally took a comfortable 8-1 lead into the bottom of the 10th.

Brown then made quick work of the Friars in the 10th, striking out two and allowing no hits to complete five innings of two-hit relief for her 10th win of the season.

“Today was a great game, definitely the type of game that we play for,” Brown said. “Our coach challenged us to win the game when we were trailing, and we took advantage of Providence’s mistakes. We were confident we could win and we pulled it out in the end. It was a great team win.”

—Staff writer Colin Whelehan can be reached at whelehan@fas.harvard.edu.