CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard returns to the friendly confines of Soldiers Field for the first time since 2019, when it welcomes Princeton to Cambridge for a weekend series. A doubleheader is set for Saturday with a single game scheduled for Sunday. Both days will start at 12:30 p.m. ET and air on ESPN+.
What to Know
- The Crimson spent the first 19 games of its schedule away from home, playing in Florida (five games), Alabama (four games), California (seven games) and Connecticut (three games). All 19 contests were played in less than a month (Feb. 25-March 20).
- Harvard is slated to return home fresh off a spring break trip to California and Connecticut. The Crimson went 4-6, but took two of three against Ivy League foe Yale last weekend. Harvard swept a doubleheader against the Bulldogs last Friday (3-1, 1-0) before having its rally fall short in a 4-3 loss this past Sunday.
- The Crimson pitching was outstanding in the series with Yale. Over three games, the staff posted an ERA of 1.40, 18 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .189. In the first two games, Harvard allowed just one run, striking out 14 (seven in each game) and walking one. In fact, the Crimson walked just two Bulldogs in three games.
- Anna Reed made two appearances vs. Yale and came away with a 0.00 ERA and six strikeouts against one walk in seven innings. The first-year started Game 1 vs. Yale and went four innings, striking out four, en route to the win. In Game 3, the sophomore pitched three innings of scoreless relief to keep Harvard in the game, one in which the offense nearly pulled off the comeback before falling, 4-3.
- Katie Arrambide started the Crimson's second game of its doubleheader at Yale and pitched a complete-game shutout, which marked her first of the season and career. Across seven innings, the first-year allowed just two hits, while striking out a career-high seven hitters. She finished the game by not allowing a hit in the final three innings with only one batter reaching base, which came on an error. For the series, Arrambide made two appearances and logged a ERA of 1.62 in 8.2 innings to go with eight punch-outs.
- Offensively, Madi Mays led the team with two RBI in the series vs. Yale, with Allison Heffley, Morgan Melito, Teagan Shaw and Megan Welsh each knocking in one run.
- Harvard is set to play its first home game since May 11, 2019, when it defeated Columbia, 11-1, to clinch the Ivy League Playoff Series, Ivy League title and NCAA tournament berth. The conference crown and NCAA appearance were the program's second straight.
- The Crimson is slated to play its first regular-season home game since May 6, 2019, when it took down Cornell, 9-1.
- Harvard trails the all-time series with Princeton, 40-34, but has won five of the last six meetings. The last time these teams met in Cambridge, the Crimson won all three contests in 2018.
- In 2019, which was the last time Harvard and Princeton shared the field, the Crimson took two of three from the Tigers on the road, splitting a doubleheader before claiming the rubber match.
- The Tigers are coming off a home sweep of Brown and will play host to Villanova on Wednesday before heading to Cambridge.
- After its Ivy series with Princeton, Harvard will prep for a single non-conference match-up at Boston College, which is slated for Tuesday, March 29. The Crimson has won three of the last five games with the Eagles, but dropped the last meeting, 3-1, in Chestnut Hill in 2018. Harvard trails the all-time series vs. Boston College, 38-17.
At the Helm
Jenny Allard is in her 27th season at the helm of the Harvard softball program and will be inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame in 2022. She has helped guide the Crimson to the last two Ivy League titles (2018, 2019) and owns a career record of 645-492-3.
Up Next
Harvard will return to action next week when it travels to Boston College on Tuesday, March 29. The game is slated for 5 p.m. ET and will air on ACCN.
