Columbia 5, Harvard 4

The Crimson could not capitalize on golden opportunities to create big innings and suffered dearly in the end.

The Crimson loaded the bases with no one out in the first, again with two out in the third, and had runners on first and second with no one out in the sixth. However, the team could not manufacture a single run from those ideal situations.

“We had a tough time getting the big hit,” Allard said.

Though the Crimson struggled to finish off scoring opportunities, it had no trouble generating runs out of nothing.

Down 3-0 in the third, Whitton hit a two-run homer and Rachel Goldberg followed with a solo blast to left center to tie it.

In the fourth inning Stephanchik sent a deep fly to right center over a drawn in outfield and legged it out for an inside the park home run to tie the game at four.

The Crimson threatened in the sixth after both junior Kim Koral and Stephanchik reached on bunt singles with none out. But the Crimson failed to score.

This failure proved crucial as the Lions opened up the seventh with a double and a single. Sophomore pitcher Lauren Tanner came in to relieve Crimson starter freshman Michele McAteer, only to hit Columbia’s Courtney Ryan to load the bases with no one out. Tanner subsequently walked the Lions’ Hillary Parsons to force home the go ahead run. Tanner was able to record two strikeouts to keep the Lions from doing further damage.

Harvard opened up the game with three consecutive singles, loading the bases with no one out. However, the heart of the order was unable to move the runners, and all three were stranded.

Columbia took the lead in the second inning on the strength of two singles and a triple.

The Lions added one more in the third and fourth innings. In the third Columbia took advantage of a first-and-third situation with one out to bunt home a run. In the fourth inning, two Crimson errors led directly to a Columbia run.

Each time Harvard fell behind, it was able to answer, except for the decisive Lions’ run scored in the seventh.

“For a team that’s struggling, to lose the first game when you’ve battled back is pretty tough,” Allard said. “But they picked themselves up and came back strong.”