When yesterday's softball doubleheader between Harvard and Hartford players were very vocal and full of song. Hartford  2  0 Harvard  4  2

When the twinbill came to a close, the only things coming out of the Hawks' voices were words of praise for the Crimson, who took both games at Soldiers Field--4-2 and 2-0.

Of course, Harvard (17-11, 7-3 Ivy) wouldn't sing "Hit the Road, Jack" back to Hartford (19-14-1), but the Crimson showed its superiority in every aspect of the game.

And Hartford won't be coming back for moooore.

Harvard's pitching was brilliant, its fielding nearly flawless and its bats came through when they needed to. In other words, the Crimson executed its fundamentals solidly, and it is now riding a seven-game winning streak.

"That team [Hartford] today told me that we have a remarkable ball club," Harvard coach Jenny Allard said. "We're opening eyes."

Harvard 4, Hartford 2

The Hartford chorus could have sung the song "Another One Bites the Dust" for game one yesterday. The Hawks, a team that has lost many close games this season, were overrun by the Crimson during the final three innings in a 4-2 Harvard victory.

The Hawks took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning on a two-out two-RBI single off the bat of Michelle O'Toole. The Hawks had registered but two hits off freshman pitcher Heather Brown through the first four innings, but they suddenly put themselves in a position to win.

Harvard ended those thoughts quickly. Freshman Mandy Wills reached second base on an infield single and a throwing error with two outs, and freshman Jenny Franzese tomahawked a 210-foot shot off the centerfield fence for a double to score Wills and tie the game.

The Hawks looked to regain the momentum in the top of the sixth, but Franzese made a diving catch forward to rob Sharon Barboza of a hit and end the inning.

That set the stage for the bottom of the sixth and more clutch Crimson hitting. Sophomores Melissa Kreuder and Katina Lee walked with one out, and freshman Kara Hartl roped a double to deep right-center to score Kreuder. Sophomore Sara Cushman then singled home Lee to make the score 4-2.

"We came through when we needed to," Cushman said. "We had a lot of clutch hitting."

Brown, aided by Harvard's sharp gloves, pitched a complete-game victory, allowing eight hits and one walk. Junior Amy Reinhard made several tough tops at short and used her gun of an arm to nail the players at first.

Reinhard's play all day impressed everyone, leading one person affiliated with Hartford to ask, "Does she have a license for that?"