The Harvard softball team's double-header versus Princeton on Saturday was supposed to be a matchup between the two best pitching staffs in the Ivy League. A pitching duel is definitely what emerged, two one-run ball games resulted and the Crimson showed that the Tigers will have to settle for the No. 2 slot among the best pitching staffs in the Ancient Eight.

Harvard (22-19, 6-0 Ivy) kept its perfect conference record intact, sweeping the doubleheader at Princeton (20-14, 2-4) by scores of 1-0 and 2-1. The wins, coupled with two weekend losses by Cornell, leave Harvard alone atop the Ivy standings with a chance to clinch its first ever Ivy title this weekend.

"It feels great to be on top," co-captain Jenny Franzese said. "Last year we started out slow and thought we were out of the race, but this year we played well from the beginning. I feel so much better about our team this year." HARVARD (game 1)  1 PRINCETON  0 HARVARD(game 2)  2 PRINCETON  1

Senior Tasha Cupp (11-4) and freshman Chelsea Thoke (10-9) took to the hill and outdueled Princeton's Lynn Miller and Alyssa Smith, respectively, as both Harvard hurlers recorded complete-game victories.

Harvard 1, Princeton 0

Hits and runs came infrequently for both squads in game one as Cupp and Miller nearly matched each other the entire way. Harvard, however, would touch Miller for the game's only run in the third, and Cupp held off a last-inning rally from the Tigers to secure the shutout.

Cupp led off the third for the Crimson and was belted by Miller in a mistake that would come back to haunt the Princeton pitcher. Sophomore Crystal Springer came in to pinch run for Cupp, and she promptly stole second.

That is when the Crimson's captains--as they have done consistently throughout the season--teamed up to spark Harvard's offense. Co-captain Jenny Franzese moved Springer up to third with a single into rightfield, and junior co-captain Tara LaSovage followed with a sacrifice fly into center that brought Springer home for the only RBI of the game.

"I just wanted to get a good, solid swing and get the ball out of the infield so [Springer] could score," LaSovage said.

Staked to a one-run lead, Cupp continued to stupefy Princeton's hitters with a masterful performance. Cupp scattered five hits over her seven innings and walked none while striking out seven batters.

Princeton threatened to tie the game in the last half of the seventh when they had runners at first and second with no outs. But fresh off of her first--and long overdue--Ivy League Pitcher of the Week honor,Cupp closed the door on the Tigers with a littlehelp from her defense.

An attempted sacrifice bunt down the third-baseline apparently worked to perfection and loadedthe bases, as junior Meredith Bagley could notmake the play at first. But a crucial baserunningerror by Princeton allowed Bagley to throw back tosophomore shortstop Deborah Abeles covering atthird, where Abeles tagged out a Tiger who hadtaken a wide turn around the bag and kept Harvardout of a potentially dangerous situation.

"[Cupp and Thoke] both did an outstanding job,"LaSovage said. "They did great, and defensively,we also had a great day. [Bagley's throw toAbeles] was the defensive play of the game."

Harvard 2, Princeton 1

In the nightcap of the twin billing, Thoke senta message to Princeton that Harvard's pitchingwill continue to be a force long after Cuppgraduates. Thoke threw a complete game--includingtwo extra innings of work--five-hitter, giving upjust one earned run and two walks while strikingout 10 batters for the second time this season.

"The fact that [Cupp and Thoke] were able toshut down their batters for all those innings wascrucial," Franzese said. "It took a great deal ofeffort and concentration, and I was really proudof them."

Harvard struck first once again, and LaSovageagain was at the center of the Crimson's offensivedisplay. Harvard's second baseman led off thefourth frame with a double into right centerfield.