We've all heard the saying "Let's play two."

But what about four? Or six?

It was a weary Harvard softball team that faced Holy Cross yesterday at Soldiers Field. Playing four games in a 24-hour span and six games in less than two days, the Crimson (7-8) just couldn't seem to get the bats going. Holy Cross (8-8) swept the doubleheader winning the first game, 4-0, and taking game two, 4-1.

"We just couldn't hit the ball," Crimson Coach Barry Haskell said, "and you have to score to win."

The Crusaders took advantage early in the first contest.

Sharon Brigham led off the second inning with a single to left-center. Katie Matylewski followed with a single to left. After a double-steal, there were runners on second and third with nobody out.

Harvard freshman Julie Fromholz worked to get out of the jam as Paula Renaud lined out and Tricia Matthews hit a fly out to centerfield. Brigham tagged from third and almost got caught in a run-down, but a Beth Reilly throw hit the runner in the shoulder and bounded away. Brigham and Matylewski both scored to give Holy Cross a 2-0 lead.

Pitching and good defense by both squads dominated play into the seventh, but then Holy Cross struck again.

Matthews led off with a single to center. Patty Dimeno's ensuing bunt was fielded cleanly by Fromholz, but her throw to first handcuffed Ellen Cox. Dimeno was safe at first; Matthews scrambled to third. The Crusaders then pulled off another double-steal to make the score 3-0, and Dimeno eventually scored on a Mary Gobes sacrifice fly to round out the scoring at 4-0.

Take Two

Game two was a strikingly similar affair.

The Crimson managed a two-out first inning threat when Beth Wambach and Elizabeth Crowley had consecutive base hits, but Fromholz's ground ball up the middle was speared by Holy Cross pitcher Amy Cotter.

In the top of the second, Harvard displayed the heads-up defense which has characterized its play this season. With a runner on second and nobody out, Reilly stopped a hard-hit ball to third for a put out, junior Lee Polikoff struck out Renaud, and catcher and Captain Nancy Prior picked off the Holy Cross runner at third.

Jen Clawson kept the momentum going in the bottom of the inning by smacking a triple to the gap in right center. But flawless Crusader defense prevented the Crimson from picking up the run.

Holy Cross' four runs proved to be plenty on this day as every time Harvard was about to break loose with a big inning, the Crusaders would pull off an unbelievable defensive play to end the threat.