In a doubleheader characterized by a lot of giving and an equal amount of taking, the Harvard softball team emerged victorious in both halves of the twinball Saturday, defeating Dartmouth, 5-4 and 5-2, in a couple of heart-stopping contests
The batwomen, now with a 6-2 record, are in the midst of a four-game winning streak. The doubleheader against Dartmouth was the first Ivy League competition of the year for the Crimson
Both games of the twin bill were characterized by a high degree of unpredictability Although neither team was extremely careless defensively, the cold temperatures and slipery field conditions made it impossible to field with fair-weather precision, and errors were directly responsible for three of Harvard's runs and three of Dartmouth's in the first game, as well as one of the Crimson tallies in the second.
In addition to the numerous errors, passed balls and wild pitches which all figured prominently in the contests--a number of key extra-base hits, including the Crimson's first home run of the season--a solo shot to left field by catcher Gia Barresi in the fifth inning of the second game--provided much offense for both teams.
In the first game, Harvard put the first run on the board when Barresi came in on Ann Wilson's single to left in the first inning. The batwomen added two more in the second, relying on wild pitches by Dartmouth hurler Laura Woolman and passed balls by catcher Beth Campbell, which brought in Mary MacKinnon and Ellen Sackaroff.
Harvard continued to do damage in the next inning, putting another tally on the records when MacKinnon, who reached on a walk came in on a single by sophomore second baseman Nancy Andrea.
The Big Green, a squad largely composed of players without much experience in softball, did not score until the fourth inning, when Kathy McCormack and Woolman--who together were the entire Dartmouth offense, accounting for all four Big Green hits, all four runs and both Dartmouth RBIs--crossed the plate.
The scrappy Big Green squad then proceeded to tie the contest up in the sixth after McCormack led off with a triple over the head of center fielder Landya Boyer Her team mate and fellow offensive weapon. Woolman then brought her in, an dcame in herself, when her sizzling shot to left field went through the legs of Crimson fielder MacKinnon
Record it as a three base error
Dartmouth was disposed of quickly after that, but Harvard was unable to forge ahead in its half of the sixth
After pitcher Gerri Rubin climinated Dartmouth one-two-three in the seventh, the Crimson came up in a last-chance seventh inning, hoping to score the one run they needed to make the game history.
And it certainly didn't take too long. After pinch hitter Trisha Brown flew out. Judy Zachariasen, pinch hitting for Sackaroff, singled. Sackaroff, back in to pinch run, swiped second in typical fashion. Boyer then reached on an error, and she stole second shortly later. With the two senior captains in scoring position, Nancy Andrea brought Sackaroff in to ensure victory.
"We always seem to win the squeakers," Boyer said.
In the second game Dartmouth blanked the Crimson for the first four innings, while scoring both of its runs in the first three innings.
The hit that provided the Crimson with the impetus to win--the one that totally changed the momentum of the contest--came with two out in the Crimson fifth. Barresi connected on a pitch by Dartmouth pitcher Heather Sawyer and sent a tremendous shot over the head of felt fielder Woolman
By the time ball had been relayed back into the infield. Barresi had crossed the plate for the first Crimson run
Not only was the first Harvard home run for Barresi important for the Crimson squad, which seemed to be inspired by her blast, but it was also important for Barresi Among the 22 spectators who braved the 40-degree weather at Soldiers Field was her father, who was in from Cohasset to see his daughter
"I didn't really think I'd hit it that hard, because it's harder to hit it far against a slower pitcher I think it got the team going I'm really glad my dad got to see it," Barresi said Game-winning RBI--Andres. E-Rubin, Barresi, MacKinnon, Shian, Larmore, LOB--Harvard 10, Dartmouth 2. 3B--McCormack. SB--Boyer, Sackaroff. S--Shian, Rubin. SF--Barresi. DP--Dartmouth 1 WP--Woolman 2. PB Campbell. A--22 Game-winning RBI--Cunningham. E--Woolman, Larimore 2. Campbell, McCormack, Cunningham, Sackaroff, 2. LOB--Harvard 5, Dartmouth 10, 2B--Woolman HR--Barresi 1. SB--Perkins 2. S--Sawyer, Larimore, Wills WP--Sawyer 3. Balk--Dickerman. A--22
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