Penn finally put runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning to avoid a shortened game due to the mercy-rule. Freshman third baseman Julia Cheney belted a home run to left field with two runners on base to close the score to 9-3.
The Quakers knocked on the door again in the top of the sixth, adding one run off of four hits. Despite loading the bases in the same inning, Harvard was unable to bring home any runs.
Penn pulled its offense together one last time in the top of the seventh. After two more runs pulled the Quakers within three, Brotemarkle replaced freshman Becky Voaklander on the mound and got the Crimson out of the inning for a save.
HARVARD 2, PENN 0
On Friday, Harvard tackled Penn at Soldier’s Field in its opening doubleheader of Ivy play.
After coming out slow in its home opener against UMass earlier in the week, the Crimson threw the first punch in the bottom of the first.
Stefanchik bunted and then reached third after a wild throw from Cheney.
Gordon smashed a single to centerfield to drive in Stefanchik, helping Harvard to a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Crimson struck again. Bettinelli reached first on a walk from freshman pitcher Lindsey Permar, and Halpenny took advantage of an error by Penn second baseman Stephanie Reichert. Senior Monica Montijo pinch hit, knocking a single to shortstop.
With bases loaded, Dell’Aria—also pinch hitting—ripped a single to third base to drive in Bettinelli.
That was the end of the scoring as the Quakers stranded eight Harvard runners on base over six innings.
Brotemarkle fanned nine batters and held Penn to a mere two hits. She improved her ERA to 1.37 over the weekend.
“A lot of time you come out and don’t have to pitch 27 innings in one weekend,” Brotemarkle said. “But I needed to, and I was very happy to do it.”
Harvard wrapped up its weekend undefeated in Ivy play, sitting at the top of the standings.
“It felt great to come out 4-0,” Brotemarkle said. “So now we are looking forward to our next match-up to extend that.”
“It’s a very exciting place to be,” Wiliamson added.
The Crimson returns to Soldiers Field tomorrow at 3 p.m. to face off against Rhode Island.
—Staff writer Carrie H. Petri can be reached at cpetri@fas.harvard.edu.