NORTON--As far as the Harvard softball team is concerned, time is immaterial.

And that's simply because the Crimson isn't adhering to your standard time frame--the kind that equals early-season play with sloppy play.

With freshman standout Lora Rowning hurling a sharp two-hitter and the Harvard infield coming through with key plays under pressure, the batswomen pulled off a 2-0 victory over Wheaton here yesterday afternoon in its regular season opener.

An incredibly neat 2-0 victory.

"That's the kind of game you love to get at the end of the season, or in the middle of the season," Crimson Coach John Wentzell said. "Once again, our southern trip really helped us out--we're in midseason form already."

Last year, Harvard travelled to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for a week of spring training during break, and returned north to open the season strong. This year's squad continued the budding tradition, and seems to be primed as well.

In South Carolina, the Crimson compiled a 3-2 record, with victories over Heidelberg (6-0), Ramapo (8-4) and Nichols (2-0). The squad dropped a pair of shutouts, to Moravian (2-0) and Albany (1-0).

Rowning's stellar performance yesterday (six strikeouts, one walk, one hit batter) proved that the preseason success of the pitching staff was no fluke. Through six contests, Harvard hurlers have now held the opposition to a mere seven runs.

Last year's squad rode strong offensive performances to a 17-8 record, and with yesterday's lineup boasting seven returning starters, this season's run production should be similar.

"Down south we were a little slow getting our bats going, but now we're up there getting our rips," Harvard Co-Captain Mary Sheehan said.

Although the Crimson was held hitless by Wheaton pitcher Michelle L'Heureux for three innings, the batswomen broke the jinx in the fourth frame--and jumped to a lead that would hold for the remainder of the contest.

Harvard catcher Gia Barresi, batting in the number three slot, rapped a double to right center to open up the inning, and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

A shaken L'Heureux proceeded to walk three consecutive batters, with Barresi trotting home on a free pass to Gerri Rubin.

"They're a tough little team to open up against, with that pitcher," Wentzell said of L'Heureux. "She was tough, but she hit streaks of wildness that really helped us. It was essentially a pitchers' battle, but she faltered a bit."

But in the bottom of the fourth, when Rowning (who had already thrown 51 pitches) took to the mound and promptly walked the leadoff batter, it appeared that she, too, might be in for a spell of faltering.

Jewels

That's when the infield came through with its first gem.

After her teammate advanced to second on a stolen base, Wheaton's Lisa Darcy stroked a blistering grounder into the hole.

Crimson shortstop Sharon Hayes backhanded the shot and unleashed a long throw to first sacker Trisha Brown, who neatly corralled the ball as it skipped at her feet.

The score remained 1-0 through the bottom of the sixth, at which point the Harvard infield--whose members are currently entering their second year of service together--came up with sparkler number two.

With a runner standing on second and two down, third baseman Lisa Rowning--Lora's older sister snagged a hot one-hopper down the line and ended the threat with a perfect throw to first.

She further helped her sister's cause in the top of the seventh, doubling to right and scoring on a bases-loaded walk to Elizabeth Crowley.

The hosts went down one-two-three in the bottom of the seventh, to give the younger Rowning her first collegiate victory.

"Lora was superb, everything we hoped her to be," Wentzell said, "and the infield defense was key--it could easily have been a 2-2 game. That [help] is what you need to pitch a shutout."

THE NOTEBOOK: The Crimson plays its home opener at Soldiers Field this afternoon at 3:30 p.m., hosting Boston University...Wheaton is now 1-1 on the year, after defeating Smith, 12-5, in its season-opener...Rowning threw 101 pitches on the afternoon...Harvard stranded 11 runners on base, Wheaton left only four...Both Brown and Crowley walked three times for the batswomen.