In the first game of the day, Ricciardone improved to 6-5 on the year, as she shut down the Eagles in a complete game effort. Ricciardone struck out eight batters, allowing only five hits for two earned runs in the 4-2 win.
The Eagles managed to get on the board early behind two hits and an error from Harvard. But Ricciardone took control from there. The junior hurler went the next five frames, surrendering just two hits.
“The change-up was working very effectively,” Ricciardone said. “Paired with some strategic pitch calling, we were able to limit the production of the BC offense.”
But Harvard couldn’t get its bats going. Unable to string together many hits, the Crimson offense remained silent for the first six innings of the game.
Devoid of any offensive support, Ricciardone hit a batter in the top of the seventh. The Eagles then played small ball, as bunting, pinch-running, and situational hitting pushed another run across the plate.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, Harvard seemed to be heading for a loss in the day’s first game. But the Crimson dugout didn’t see it that way.
Harvard only needed two runs in that final inning. It got a whole lot more.
Lantz began the inning with a single up the middle, and in the very next at-bat, the Crimson tied the game as junior Adrienne Hume blasted a home run, bringing life to Harvard’s dugout.
Then, with two outs and the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, Lange stepped up to the plate.
A season ago, Lange broke Harvard’s all-time home run record. This afternoon, the Crimson co-captain added to that tally.
“I just wanted to do the most with the opportunity I was given,” Lange said. “Adrienne had a huge home run before me, and I wanted to keep the ball rolling.”
Lange blasted a walkoff home run to left-center field, driving in junior Jessica Perillo to secure the win
“Winning in that way definitely gave us momentum for the second game,” Lange said. “We were able to complete a big sweep.”
—Staff writer Andrew Farber can be reached at andrewfarber@college.harvard.edu.