Pictured: Jessica Ferri
Photo courtesy: Gil Talbot Photography

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. --  The Ivy League North Division leading Harvard softball team split a doubleheader with Penn, the South Division leaders. The Crimson claimed a 10-0 victory in the opening game in five innings. The Quakers rebounded to edge Harvard 5-4 in the nightcap.

In the first game, Harvard got things going early as three runners crossed the plate in the first inning. Ellen Macadam and Stephanie Krysiak lead off the game with back-to-back singles. Whitney Shaw, Jennifer Francis and Jessica Pledger each drove in a run to put the Crimson ahead 3-0.

Shaw tacked another run on the board in the bottom of the third. The sophomore cranked her fourth home run of the season to straight away centerfield. Later in the inning Macadam drove in three runs with a hit to right. Jessica Ferri smacked her second collegiate dinger over the right field fence in the fourth inning to put Harvard ahead 9-0. Macadam laced a double down the left field line to drive in the Crimson 10th run of the game.

Rachel Brown picked up her seventh win of the year, throwing a complete game shutout. Brown struck out 11 Quakers and allowed only five hits and two walks. Harvard got hits from 10 different players in the opening game. Macadam finished the game with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Emily Henderson, Krysiak and Pledger all turned in two-hit performances.

In the second game of the twinbill, Penn held on for a 5-4 victory.  Harvard pushed a run across the plate in the first inning to grab a 1-0 lead. The Quakers quickly responded, scoring all five runs in the second on four hits. Melissa Schellberg came up with a highlight reel catch in the top of the fourth inning to keep Harvard in the game. With one out and a runner on first, Schellberg jumped and snared a line drive destined for the left field corner. The senior co-captain quickly slung the ball over to first to double-up the runner and to get Harvard out of the inning unscathed. The Crimson got a run back in the fourth as Henderson ripped a two-out double to left center and Macadam followed suit with a double to left center of her own to drive in Henderson. Harvard cut the deficit to one in the sixth as Melissa Schellberg drove home Macadam and Krysiak.

Macadam lead the way in the nightcap, going 3-for-4 from the plate with an RBI and a run. Henderson and Schellberg each had two hits in the game and Schellberg registered two RBIs. Margaux Black pitched four innings of relief, scattering four hits and one run. Taylor Tieman pitched a complete game for the Quakers, striking out two batters.

Harvard ended the day with a 12-16 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the Ivy League. Penn owns a 10-13 record after the doubleheader and a 5-1 record in the Ancient Eight. The Crimson returns to action Sunday afternoon as it hosts Columbia at Soldiers Field. The game is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. start.