Hitting is a strange art. When a team hits well, the play on the field looks clean and crisp. When a team is slumping at the plate, the play on the field usually slumps also.

Yesterday afternoon at Soldiers Field, the Harvard softball team proved that hitting slumps can affect others parts of the game as fast as a Roger Clemens' high-riser goes from fist to mitt. The host Crimson (5-6 overall, 1-3 Ivy) dropped two games, 7-2, 7-1, to the visitors from Boston College (12-3). Harvard has now lost five of its last six games.

"We're not scoring runs," Harvard Coach John Wentzell said. "When we don't score runs, it puts a lot of pressure on us."

In its past five games since last Thursday's 10-1 victory over Smith, the Crimson has managed to score only eight runs and has been shut out twice.

Against the Eagles, Harvard rapped out 13 hits in 14 innings. Boston College had 22 hits.

"Getting the hits was the key to the game," Boston College Coach Nancy McGuire said.

Harvard hurler Lora Rowning pitched the first game and was greeted by a two-run homer by Nancy Fox. Harvard cut the deficit to one run in the bottom half of the first when Beth Reilly singled Nancy Prior home.

The Eagles soared in the fourth inning after consecutive singles by Anges Veloria, Kim Markey and Sara Litzenberger. Colleen Murnane drove in two runs with a single and Stephanie Murdone singled in another run to give B.C. a 7-1 lead.

Eagle pitcher Kelly Davenport notched the victory, allowing two hits on seven runs while striking out three batters.

The second game started out on a better note for the Crimson, as Nancy Colbert singled in Beth Wambach in the second inning to give Harvard a 1-0 lead against B.C. fireballer Laurie Salvia.

Harvard starter Lee Polikoff tiptoed through trouble in the first five innings, giving up only one run, as the Eagles left four hitters in scoring position.

The sixth inning was a different story. The story of a team that was still in a slump.

The Eagles took the lead on an RBI single by Angela Scussel. Veloria was given a free pass to first after the ball nicked her sweatshirt. Markey then drove a ball to right field, which outfielder Ellen Cox mishandle Eagles 7, Crimson 1

Bos. Coll. Name  AB  R  H  BI Dixon,If  3  0  2  0 Murnane,cf  2  0  0  1 Mardone,ss  3  0  1  0 Fox,3b  4  2  2  0 Scussel,c  3  2  2  1 Markey,rf  2  1  0  1 Veloria,2b  2  1  2  0 L'berger,dh  2  0  0  0 Lane,1b  3  1  1  0 Salvia,p  x  x  x  x Totals  25  7  10  3

Harvard Name  AB  R  H  BI Baldauf,2b  3  0  1  0 Prior,c  3  0  0  0 Crowley,cf  2  0  0  0 Hayes,ss  2  0  1  0 Reilly,3b  3  0  1  0 Cox,rf  3  0  0  0 W'bach,If  3  1  2  0 Lind,dh  3  0  0  0 Colbert,1b  3  0  1  1 Polikoff,p  x  x  x  x Totals  25  1  6  1   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   R  H  E B.C.  0  0  0  0  1  42  7  10  1 Harvard  0  1  0  0  0  0   0  1  6  6 B.C.  IP  H  R  ER  BB  K Salvia (W)  7  6  1  1  2  2 Harvard  IP  H  R  ER  BB  K< /B> Polikoff (L)  7  10  7  3  0  0 Eagles 7, Crimson 2

Bos. Coll. Name  AB  R  H  BI Dixon,If  3  1  1  0 Murnane,cf  3  1  3  2 Mardone,ss  2  0  1  2 Fox,3b  4  1  1  2 Scussel,c  4  0  1  0 Veloria,2b  3  1  2  0 Z'caso,2b  1  0  0  0 Markey,rf  4  1  1  0 Li'berger,dh  3  1  1  0 Dav'port,p  3  1  1  0 Lane,1b  x  x  x  x Totals  30  7  12  6

Harvard Name  AB  R  H  BI Baldauf,2b  2  0  0  0 Prior,c  3  1  0  0 Crowley,cf  4  0  1  0 Hayes,ss  3  0  0  0 Reilly,3b  2  0  1  1 Cox,If  4  1  2  0 Clossen,rf  2  0  1  0 W'bach,dh  3  0  1  1 McN'ara,1b  3  0  1  0 Rowning,p  x  x  x  x Totals  26  2  7  2   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   R  H  E B.C.  2  0  1  4  0  00  7  12  1 Harvard  1  0  0  0  0  1   0  2  7  2 B.C.  IP  H  R  ER  BB  K Davenport (W)  7  7  2  2  1  3 Harvard  IP  H  R  ER  BB  K< /B> Rowning (L)  7  12  7  6  0  1