Pictured: Jessica Pledger helped Harvard to a 5-4 win over
Northern Illinois.
Photo Courtesy: DSPics.com
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – In the second day of the Amy S.
Harrison Classic, the Harvard softball team (4-4) posted a 1-1
record, falling to Idaho State, 9-4, in the first game and coming
back to top Northern Illinois, 5-4 in eight innings, in game two.
Harvard put up four runs in the top of first against the
Bengals, drawing five walks in the inning and getting a
bases-loaded single from Ellen Macadam to plate two runs. The
Bengals responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning
and four more in the bottom of the second to take a 6-2 lead after
two. Idaho State manufactured one run in the third, fourth and
fifth innings and pitcher Nora Maschue settled down to preserve the
9-4 final. Margaux Black took the loss on the mound for Harvard
while Macadam, Mariel Sena and Melissa Schellberg all logged hits
in the loss.
In the second game, Northern Illinois scored a run in the top of
the first but Harvard answered with two of their own in the bottom
half of the inning. Emily Henderson reached base via a one-out
single and scored when Jessica Pledger drew a bases-loaded walk.
Jessica Ferri drove in the second run with a bases-loaded single to
short, putting Harvard up 2-1 after one.
NIU took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth but Harvard tied it
in the bottom of the fourth. Macadam doubled to left field and
scored on a Schellberg ground out and Whitney Shaw drove in
Henderson with a two-out single. The score stayed tied through the
seventh inning, but pinch runner Kassy Shiotani scored the winning
run in the bottom of the eighth, scoring on a fielder's
choice. Rachel Brown picked up her fourth win of the year, pitching
four perfect innings of relief and striking out four.
Harvard wraps up its stay in Riverside Sunday with a 2:30 p.m.,
game against host UC Riverside.
