By failing to sweep either Columbia or Cornell at Soldiers Field this past weekend, the Harvard softball team has left its Ivy title hopes in the hands of the Big Red's remaining opponents for the second time in three years.

The Crimson (14-16, 5-3 Ivy) has little margin of error over its final six Ivy games-two home doubleheaders versus Yale (18-17, 4-4) and Brown (5-25, 3-5) this weekend and a pair at Dartmouth (13-13, 6-2) the following weekend.

Even if Harvard manages a six-game sweep, which will be no easy task, either perennial Ivy cellar-team Penn (12-21, 2-6) or Princeton (12-11, 3-5) would have to win a game at Cornell (24-13, 8-2) this weekend, weather permitting, for the Crimson to gain even a share of the Ivy title. Current long-range forecasts are predicting showers in Ithaca all weekend.

The Big Red is undefeated in eight games at home this year, including two stunning wins over Brown. In that doubleheader, Cornell came back from an eight-run deficit in the first game and a six-run deficit in the second.

Two years ago, when Cornell last came within striking distance of eliminating Harvard from Ivy contention, the Big Red stepped up and wrapped up the league title, destroying Dartmouth by a combined tally of 19-0.

This year's Penn and Princeton teams should be much stronger than that 1999 Dartmouth team, however. The Tigers spoiler hopes will rest heavily on junior pitcher Brie Galicinao-a player who can single-handedly win ball games with her arm and her bat, as the Crimson recently learned. Galicinao has been dominant on the mound this season, posting an 0.98 ERA while striking out 80 through 87 innings.

But Galicinao has been no Chelsea Thoke in terms of endurance. This season, Galicinao has yet to post a win after pitching the previous day. Two weeks ago, she was shelled against Dartmouth after dominating Harvard the day before. Last Saturday, she was relegated to pinch-hitting duties despite pitching a gem versus Yale the previous afternoon.

None of this is good news for Harvard's hopes of a Princeton upset, since the Tigers take on Cornell on Saturday after playing Columbia on Friday. One possibility, however, is that the heavy rains could hold out until Saturday and postpone solely the Cornell-Princeton games.