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Softball Scores Pair of Extra-Inning Wins

Someone forgot to tell Sarah Koppel that she is only a freshman.

Rookies aren't supposed to drive in both game-winning runs in a doubleheader sweep and earn one of the victories on the mound, but that is exactly what Koppel did yesterday.

Harvard (8-11) remained unbeaten at home in 1999 with two extra-inning wins over Boston College (9-13), 3-2 and 7-6, on a blustery day at Soldiers Field. Koppel (2-0) drove in freshman Lisa Watanabe with the winning run in both games, and she pitched the final three innings of the nightcap to pick up her second victory.

"I was really excited," Koppel said. "When you're up there you have a job to do, and you're not really thinking of the pressure that's on you."

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Koppel was 4-for-8 on the afternoon with two RBI as the Crimson overcame a pair of home runs by B.C. junior Chris Vicari, one in each game. Harvard co-captain Deborah Abeles had another fine afternoon at the plate, going 5-for-7 with two RBI, and co-captain Terri Teller and sophomore catcher Mairead McKendry each had a multi-hit game.

Sophomore Chelsea Thoke (4-6) went the distance in the first game for Harvard and struck out six batters en route to the win.

Harvard 3, B.C. 2

Koppel stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning in the first game with the stage set for good theater. By tiebreaker rules, each extra inning begins with the last batter who was put out in the previous inning on second base, so the eighth began with Watanabe in scoring position.

Abeles led off with a single to put runners at the corners, and Teller moved her to second on a ground out. Koppel then came up and coolly stroked a one-out single up the middle, allowing Watanabe to trot home and end the game.

"It was really exciting to see everyone's reaction--everybody was just jumping around," Koppel said. "But we should have put the game away sooner."

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