Groom Allows One Hit Through Five as Softball Tops BC, 2-1

UPDATED: March 30, 2016, at 1:05 p.m.

Two runs knocked in by the Crimson’s 3-4 combo of Meagan Lantz and Savannah Bradley in the bottom of the third lifted the Harvard softball team past Boston College at Soldiers Field on Tuesday.

Scoring no further runs and registering no more hits over the next three innings, the Crimson (10-11) was forced to rely on its tentative lead the rest of the way. BC (18-13) surged in the sixth inning in an attempt to rally back, but the one-­run lead proved just enough for Harvard to secure a 2-1 win in its home opener.

The one-­run difference was all too familiar to the Crimson, who fell 5­-4 to BC on the Eagles’ home turf in their one meet-up last year.

Harvard maintained the lead for most of that contest before BC came up with three runs, including the go-ahead score, in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Eagles got going in the sixth yet again on Tuesday, but this time around, only one run was in the cards, ultimately allowing the Crimson to hold on.

The first two innings passed quickly with no hits for both teams. And after freshman infielder Rhianna Rich grounded into a fielder’s choice at second and senior outfielder Zoe Galindo popped out, the bottom half of the third inning seemed destined to end like the scoreless ones before it.

However, a steal of second base by Rich changed the course of the game. After securing her position on second, Rich advanced another scoring position to third on a wild pitch.

Then in her second at bat, Lantz, a freshman third baseman, singled to the right side of the infield, batting in Rich from third for the first run of the game.

Still with two outs, Bradley, a junior infielder, doubled to left field, allowing Lantz to touch home­ plate and increase the lead to two runs.

“The BC pitcher was a very good pitcher with good movement and good pitch placement and command of the zone,” senior catcher Rachel Halperin said. “She was a very effective pitcher, but we were able to string some good hits together against her in the third. Overall I think people had great at bats, but BC is a very respectable opponent.”

Sophomore Allyson Frei went the distance for the Eagles, striking out seven batters in six innings, while allowing no hits outside of the third inning.

Meanwhile, Harvard co-captain Morgan Groom proved vital to the Crimson win as she was able to hold BC to just one hit in five innings. Groom was relieved by junior Taylor Cabe in the top of the sixth.

“Morgan pitched a great game and the ability to string together some hits in the third inning is what got us through against a good pitcher today,” co-captain Zoe Galindo said.

Harvard’s 2-­0 lead was placed in doubt when the Eagles sought to capitalize on the change of pitchers. A Crimson throwing error allowed BC’s Loren DiEmmanuele to reach second and Megan Cooley, whom Groom walked right before being pulled, to advance to third.

A single to right field by senior Jessie Daulton in the following at bat put the Eagles on the board, but right fielder Haley Davis gunned out DiEmmanuele at home, removing a key opportunity for BC to tie the game.

With Daulton moving to second on the throw home, the Eagles still had a chance to close the gap. This gap seemed even smaller when she advanced to third on a passed ball.

But a pop-out in BC’s next at bat effectively decided the game. Cabe gave up just one hit in the top of the seventh to maintain the score as the Crimson held on to its one­-run lead.

“I think the team had fun today,” co-captain Zoe Galindo said. “We were excited to play our first home game with our warm­-up mix there to get us pumped and to defend our home turf. BC is always a talented team on our schedule, and it felt good to get the win.”