In its 2016 season, Harvard softball went 16-4 in Ivy League play en route to a berth in the Ivy League Championship Series. Entering this weekend, the Crimson had lost five of its eight Ancient Eight matchups.

Returning to Cambridge after an away win at Bryant, Harvard (15-15, 6-6 Ivy) looked to reverse its fortunes as it kicked off its divisional slate with two doubleheaders against Yale (11-24, 5-7). The Crimson managed to do just that, taking three of four from its rival from New Haven.

“It's very important to come out strong in our division,” sophomore third baseman Erin Lockhart said. “The three wins this weekend allowed us to stay in the running, which is huge for us.”

HARVARD 5, YALE 4 (9 innings)

In a nine-inning marathon, Harvard squeaked past the Bulldogs by a 5-4 margin for the second straight game.

In the bottom of the ninth with the score still sitting at 4-4, senior right fielder Maddy Kaplan led off by stroking a single to center field. She immediately stole second to put a runner in scoring position for Lockhart.

With the count full, Lockhart blasted a fastball over the head of Yale right fielder Rachel Paris. Kaplan raced around to score from second without a play at the plate, and the Crimson celebrated its third victory of the weekend in walk-off fashion.

“Erin really came through this weekend when players were on base so the dugout knew she was going to get the job done,” sophomore shortstop Rhianna Rich said.

Senior starter Taylor Cabe’s pitching was crucial to keep Yale off the board in the extra innings victory. The Boiling Springs, S.C. native only allowed one Bulldog to reach base in the two frames, and she recorded five of the six final outs via groundout.

“In those extra innings Taylor Cabe did a great job of managing Yale's offense and limiting their hits,” Rich added.

The Bulldogs forced extra innings by squeezing across a run in its half of the sixth. Paris led off with a triple to right. Cabe was able to induce a flyout and a strikeout to retire the next two batters, but senior first baseman Camille Weisenbach poked a single into right field to knot the game at four apiece.

The top half of Harvard’s lineup once again led the way. Rich and Kaplan recorded three hits and two runs each. Two of Rich’s hits were triples, her fourth and fifth of the season. Lockhart had two hits, including the walk-off double, and she drove in three.

Rebounding from a tough loss the previous day, Cabe stayed on the mound for all nine innings, conceding four runs and striking out four for her fourth win of the year.

HARVARD 5, YALE 4

The Crimson kicked off Sunday’s set of games with a win behind yet another strong performance from sophomore lefthander Katie Duncan. Making her second start in the circle in the four-game set, the Allendale, N.J. native went seven strong innings and allowed two earned runs.

“Katie really did a good job hitting her spots and keeping them off balance throughout the weekend,” Lockhart said.

Three runs in the bottom of the second comprised the bulk of Harvard’s offensive output. With two outs and a runner on third, co-captain and second baseman Giana Panariello walked and stole second base. Singles off the bats of Rich and Lockhart brought in three runs.

Two crucial defensive plays stopped Yale from building significant momentum in the late innings.

In the top of the fifth, Bulldog catcher Madison Sack hit a bullet in the hole between second and first. Panariello ranged to her left into the outfield grass, stabbed the ball, and made a spinning throw to beat the runner to first. In the top of the seventh with a runner on first and no outs, Sack sent a deep fly ball curling toward the right field foul pole. Kaplan chased the ball into the corner and made the grab on the track, slamming into the fence and holding on for out number one.

The first four hitters in the Crimson’s lineup combined for five hits and all five runs batted in. Harvard was economical on the basepaths, only stranding five runners.

YALE 14, HARVARD 6 (5 innings)

Yale reversed its fortunes in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, delivering Harvard a high-scoring 14-6 defeat. The Bulldogs accumulated fewer hits than runs, but it benefited from four free passes, and five of its hits went for extra bases.

The Crimson’s pitching staff struggled from the outset, allowing 10 runs in the top of the second alone. All told, Harvard’s pitchers only struck out one Yale batter in the game.

Sack blasted two home runs and drove in six, and southpaw Terra Jerpbak kept the Crimson at bay despite allowing 10 hits and six runs. Sack’s biggest hit of the day came in the second, as she chased in four with a grand slam.

Despite the gaudy score on Yale’s side, Harvard’s offense kept its momentum from the earlier game. The Crimson posted 10 hits, including a double each from Lockhart and senior left fielder Catherine Callaway.

HARVARD 11, YALE 1 (5 innings)

Harvard beat up on Bulldog senior righthander Lindsay Efflandt in the first game Saturday afternoon in an 11-1 rout.

“On Saturday, we really came out playing loose and relaxed,” Lockhart said. “It allowed us to swing our bats and score a lot of runs early in the weekend and just have fun with the game.”

The Crimson’s offense, pitching, and defense were all in top shape in the first half of the twinbill. Five different Harvard batters mashed six total extra base hits, and Duncan cruised through five innings of one-run ball. Out of 12 starts, Duncan now has four without recording a strikeout, but this start also marked her sixth without allowing a free pass.

Freshman first baseman Olivia Giaquinto continued to rake, blasting her second and third home runs of the season. The Falls Church, Va. native smashed two solo shots over the left-field fence.

At 3-1, the game was closely contested until the Crimson’s turn at bat in the bottom of the fifth. Harvard piled on eight runs in the home half, the most of any inning in any game this season, to pick up the five-inning victory.

—Staff writer Jack Stockless can be reached at jack.stockless@thecrimson.com.