Softball Finishes 2-3 at Cal State Northridge Tournament

In the second weekend of a 12-game stint in sunny California, the Harvard softball team went 2-3 at the Cal State Northridge tournament.

The Crimson struggled to score runs at first, losing the first three contests and never scoring more than two runs in any game. But on the last day of the tournament, the squad finally clicked offensively, heading into Ivy League play on a two-game winning streak.

HARVARD 7, UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC 1

In its final matchup of the tournament, the Crimson avenged the previous day’s 4-2 loss to the Tigers. After getting out to an early two-run lead, the Harvard offense exploded in the top of the fifth inning for five runs and never looked back.

The upperclassmen showed up offensively, putting the team on their backs and contributing to seven runs. Captains Kasey Lange and Shelbi Olson, and junior Katherine Lantz each had two hits, including a three-run home run in the fifth by Lantz.

Freshman pitcher Taylor Cabe pitched a complete game to improve to 3-6 on the season, giving up only one run on four hits. The win was her first of the road trip.

HARVARD 8, CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 2

In the first game Saturday, the Crimson also showed up to beat a Cal State Bakersfield team to which it had lost the day before. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Lange launched a two-run homer to right field to give Harvard a lead that it would never relinquish.

Lange, the all-time long ball record holder for Harvard, had two goners on the day, also stepping into another two-run shot in the sixth. Both times, she drove in her co-captain Olson.

Junior Laura Ricciardone pitched six strong to earn the win, moving to 5-5 on the season, before handing off the ball to Cabe, who held Bakersfield in the last frame.

“The last day in California, our team really figured out what we were struggling with and came out with two solid wins,” said Ricciardone.

CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 2, HARVARD 1 (8 INNINGS)

In the second game on Friday, the Crimson continued to struggle offensively, putting up one run in the extra-inning loss to Cal State Bakersfield. It was the defense, however, that ultimately did the team in, as the game ended when a Roadrunner scored on a Harvard error.

Sophomore Morgan Groom saw her first action of the tournament, pitching four innings and giving up only one run on three hits. She was relieved by Cabe, who pitched the final three innings and change. Cabe picked up the loss on that error after holding Bakersfield for the first three innings.

Freshman Jillian Leslie drove in the only run of the game for the Crimson when she singled with the bases loaded and drove in Olson.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC 4, HARVARD 2

The long ball doomed the Crimson in the first game Friday. Ricciardone tossed a complete game, but picked up the loss, giving up four earned runs on twin two-run shots by Tiger slugger Bailey O’Mara in the first and sixth innings.

After falling behind by two runs in the first, Leslie was able to drive in a run on a single up the middle. Then, as she stole second, the Crimson were able to capitalize on a throwing error and tie the game.

But the squad was shut down for the rest of the game. O’Mara’s second jack in the sixth gave Pacific the lead for good.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 4, HARVARD 1

The Crimson took the field against host team Northridge in its first game of the weekend, but was unable to pull off the win against a strong squad.

Cabe took the mound and struggled early, giving up two runs in the bottom frame of the first inning when Taylor Glover of Northridge tripled to the gap in left center field and proceeded to score on a sacrifice fly.

Junior Emily Gusse smashed a solo home run in the top of the fourth to bring the Crimson within one, but the Matadors responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, a gap which the Crimson could not overcome.

“I think after those three games we were at a bottom point,” said Groom. “Our coach talked about us getting that killer instinct…. Even though we lost those first three games, I think we are at a good spot heading into Ivies.”

—Staff writer Jacob W. Lynch can be reached at jacoblync@gmail.com.