But the Crimson, which has seen itself on the short side of one-run games too many times this season, was not to be denied.

Freshman third baseman Virginia Fritsch, who has been one of Harvard’s most lethal offensive weapons this season, stepped to the plate. In her eighth at-bat of the game, she bludgeoned a single to right field, scoring the speedy Stefanchik and tying up the score. But with two outs, it looked like even more extra innings could be in the works.

Designated player junior Lauren Bettinelli kept the Crimson alive with a single, advancing Fritsch to second.

Sophomore Erin Halpenny’s crack to left field was good for the winning RBI, as Fritsch rounded third and scored what was probably her sweetest run ever.

And after 20 innings, Harvard stormed away with the 2-1 thriller against the touted Tigers.

“It was truly one of the most amazing games I’ve been a part of,” Williamson said.

The Crimson had threatened in the bottom of the 19th inning when Bettinelli led off with a single. Halpenny’s sacrifice bunt and Williamson’s single advanced Bettinelli to third, but Snyder forced a grounder to first and a fly ball to right field to claw Tigers out of the danger zone.

Princeton managed 15 hits in the effort while Harvard knocked 10 into play. Brotemarkle, who stayed on the mound for all 20 innings, improved to 6-7, and she stranded 16 Tigers on base over the course of the game.

“I was tired, but I think even it got to the point that I had done it so many times, I might as well just do it one more,” Brotemarkle said. “In terms of heart, that’s the greatest game I’ve seen a team play.”

Coming off a deflating loss to Dartmouth on Friday, the Tigers could not afford to lose one game at Harvard, let alone two. Now the Crimson is in control of its own destiny as takes its undefeated record away from the first complete weekend of Ivy action.

HARVARD 3, PRINCETON 0

After already playing nearly three games’ worth of innings, Princeton and Harvard faced off again in the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader.

The Crimson offense picked up right where it had left off, scoring the eventual winning run in the bottom of the first inning.

“We knew whoever won the first game was going to win the second,” Williamson said. “You were just so exhausted after the first.”

Finley, the defending Ivy Player of the Year, walked Kidder, who then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Stefanchik.