April 27, 1998-Harvard (8-0 Ivy) came into Ithaca with its first-ever Ivy title within striking distance. Cornell (8-2 Ivy) was the only Ivy team capable of catching the Crimson.

Zitarelli and Thoke would not meet in the doubleheader, as the freshmen were matched up against the oppositions' veteran aces, Cornell junior Julie Westbrock, who was riding a 14-game personal winning streak, and Harvard's Tasha Cupp `98.

The Crimson had roughed up Westbrock in their last meeting in the aforementioned 1997 ECAC Tournament, and was hoping for more of the same in game one. It didn't happen, as Westbrock limited Harvard to just two runs in seven innings.

But Thoke was better. She kept the Big Red off the scoreboard until the bottom of the seventh, and shut down a last-gasp Cornell rally with her 11th strikeout of the afternoon. Harvard won, 2-1.

The second contest was no contest. Zitarelli was shelled in her first career outing against the Crimson. The Harvard bats, keyed by a home run from Deborah Abeles `00, provided more than enough runs for Cupp. The Crimson won 10-0, and clinched the first league championship in the 18-year history of Harvard softball.

Zitarelli's Revenge

April 24, 1999-Courtesy of Princeton, Harvard (7-1 Ivy) trailed Cornell (8-0 Ivy) by a game going into a Soldiers Field doubleheader. The Crimson knew it needed a sweep to stay alive in the Ivy race.