Senior Jen Francis, shown here in earlier action, launched a two-run bomb in the first inning of Harvard’s tournament opener on Thursday. But the softball squad struggled from there, losing all five games in the San Diego Classic II while playing against ranked competition for the first time.

For the Harvard softball team, a trip to California didn’t bring much fun in the sun.

Playing against some of its stiffest competition of the season, the Crimson (4-12) dropped five games at the San Diego Classic II at the USD Softball Complex this weekend.

“We didn’t feel defeated by these losses,” sophomore pitcher Rachel Brown said. “We knew these were going to be tough teams…They were scheduled to make us better. And instead of playing easier teams, we wanted to play good competition and get ready for Ivies.”

Harvard’s pitchers kept many of the games close, as the squad dropped a pair of decisions by a single run, but a lack of timely hitting prevented the Crimson from coming away with wins.

“I think we’re definitely feeling like we’re hitting our stride,” Harvard coach Jenny Allard said. “We’re just trying to polish ourselves and work on getting those timely hits.”

SAN DIEGO STATE 4, HARVARD 0

The Crimson bats were again quiet in the squad’s final game of the weekend, as Harvard mustered just five singles in a 4-0 loss to San Diego State (18-8).

Freshman pitcher Jessica Ferri kept the Aztecs—now on a 10-game win streak—quiet through the first four innings before allowing two runs in the fifth on a walk and a pair of singles, aided by two stolen bases.

San Diego State padded its lead in the sixth, as co-captain Margaux Black allowed a fielder’s choice and a single that, combined with an error, put two more runs on the board.

“Our goal on Sunday was to be clean on defense, and we made one throwing error in 14 innings of play,” Allard said. “We had great at-bats—what we lacked was just getting the hits when we needed them.”

LONG BEACH STATE 1, HARVARD 0

Earlier on Saturday, the Crimson lost a 1-0 pitcher’s duel to Long Beach State (13-13).

49ers pitcher Brooke Turner allowed just two Harvard hits and didn’t allow a runner past second in a complete-game shutout.

Brown pitched three dominant innings—allowing just one hit—before yielding to Black in the fourth.

“Margaux Black really came on and was really effective for us in a few of these games this weekend,” Allard said. “It was great to see her hold some of those great-hitting teams [quiet]…Our pitchers were really stepping up, and I could see their confidence increasing.”

Long Beach State would finally mount an offensive rally in the sixth, as Caitrin DeBaun plated the game’s only run with a single through the right side.

NO. 20 TEXAS A&M 10, HARVARD 1

No. 20 Texas A&M (26-6) was too much for the Crimson to handle in Friday’s nightcap, as the Aggies slugged their way to a 10-1 win.

Brown shut Texas A&M down through four innings, allowing just three baserunners, before breaking down in the fifth. The Aggies launched a pair of long balls to plate six runs in the inning and scored four more off Black in the sixth.

“Although the score kind of shows a lopsided game, we stuck with them for four innings, and it was exciting to see that we could stick with that team,” Brown said. “It was very cool for us to play against these nationally-ranked teams. It shows we’re all playing the same game, and we can compete with them.”

Harvard was able to string some hits together in the bottom of the sixth, with co-captain Melissa Schellberg, who is also a Crimson sports editor, driving in her team’s only run with an infield single. But sophomore Jane Alexander struck out with the bases loaded to end the Crimson rally.

KANSAS 9, HARVARD 1

Kansas (14-15) torched Harvard, 9-1, in Friday’s opener, a run-rule game that wrapped up in five innings.

The Jayhawks struck early with four runs in the first and never looked back, plating a run in four out of the five frames.

The Crimson got its only run of the game in the top of the fourth, when sophomore Whitney Shaw and Alexander strung together back-to-back doubles.

SAN DIEGO 3, HARVARD 2

San Diego (8-15) rallied from a 2-0 hole to top Harvard, 3-2, in Thursday’s opener.

Torero Celeste Soto drove in the game-winner with a single in the top of the seventh, spoiling Brown’s complete-game, nine-strikeout performance.

The Crimson started the tournament with a bang, as Brown struck out the side in the first and senior Jen Francis blasted a two-run dinger in the bottom of the inning.

But from there, Harvard’s offense struggled, leaving at least one runner on base in the second, third, and fourth before San Diego’s Jennifer Ellenbeck closed out her complete game with three perfect innings.

—Staff writer Kate Leist can be reached at kleist@fas.harvard.edu.