B.U. scored five runs in the fourth inning off freshman Chelsea Thoke, pitching in relief of starter Heather Brown. As it turns out, Thoke ended up holding the Terriers scoreless the rest of the way for her ninth win of the season.
After Harvard scored two in the firth to bring itself within one, McKendry did her best Jim Leyritz imitation in the top of the seventh, capping the Crimson comeback with a home run. The solo shot and the scoreless half inning that followed meant extra innings in spite of the impending darkness.
But before the lack of light could become an issue, "Debo" went to work. With one out and runners on second and third, her eighth inning drive to center popped off the glove of B.U. centerfielder Nili Schnairsohn, who could not hold onto it as she crashed through the breakaway fence. The umpires ruled it an automatic round-tripper, saying that it would have cleared the fence even without Schnairsohn's aid.
"I'm ecstatic," Abeles said. "It was really exciting. It was kind of controversial, but I'll take it."
Including last weekend's doubleheader sweeps of Ivy League foes Yale and Brown, Harvard has won six straight games. The Crimson will try to make it eight when it takes on UMass in a twinbill in Amherst.
Harvard continues its Ivy schedule Saturday at Princeton, then travels to Penn and Cornell the following weekend.
"B.U. and UMass both have good pitching, which should help prepare us for Princeton and Cornell, who have two of the best staffs in the league," Abeles said. HR: Harvard--LaSovage; BU--None. 2B: Harvard--Cupp; BU--None. E: Harvard--LaSovage; BU--None. WP: Cupp (10-3); LP: King (6-9) HR:Harvard--Abeles, McKendry;2B: Harvard--McKendry; BU--K. Herr, Schnairsohn. E: Harvard--Bagley 2; BU--K. Herr 2, Anderson. WP: Thoke (9-9); LP: King (6-10)