Good pitching is supposed to beat good hitting, but really good hitting can do a lot of damage.

Or so the Harvard softball team learned against Division I power Providence College yesterday in Providence. The PC battalion overwhelmed the Crimson with lots of big hitting and swept Harvard's third doubleheader in four days, 6-2 and 3-0.

"They were crushing the ball," junior Ann Kennon said. "They're a very good team.

Captain Nancy Johnson said the difference between the team was primarily due to the number of games Providence has played against quality opposition.

As good as Providence was, however, the Crimson remained within striking distance in both games behind the pitching of senior Christine Carr in the first game and sophomore Jana Meader in the second game.

Harvard's bats were alive and well, Kennon said.

"We were hitting really well," Kennon said. "We were making contact."

But what undid the Crimson's comeback efforts was poor baserunning, Kennon and Johnson said.

"Going for the extra base, getting picked off first...we were both too relaxed and not aggressive enough," Kennon said.

"The umpires were calling anything close and we had a great deal of trouble advancing our runners," Johnson said.

Harvard will face Boston College on a doubleheader here on Thursday.

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The Ivy Notebook: Pennsylvania shortstop Rachel Walsh was named Player of the Week for her efforts against Harvard this weekend. Walsh had two hits and two RBIs in the split...Meader leads the Ivy League in league hitting. She's 4-for-6...overall, Feinberg is the team's leading hitter at .380.