ITHACA, N.Y. – Harvard jumped out to early leads in both of its games at Cornell and ultimately defeated the Big Red, 8-3 and 4-2, in its series-opening doubleheader on Tuesday. With the two decisions, the Crimson clinched a spot in the Ivy League Playoff Series, while improving to 21-17 and 15-5 in the Ivy League.
 
Kaitlin Lampson started the third inning by getting hit by a pitch and was moved to second on Morgan Melito's sacrifice bunt. With Lampson in scoring position, Lauren Bobowski hit a ball to third and was safe at first on a throwing error, leading to Lampson crossing home plate. Soon thereafter, Bobowski stole second and scored on Allison Heffley's deep fly ball to center.
 
The cushion gave Anna Reed some breathing room and she continued to keep the Cornell offense from gaining any momentum. The sophomore carried a shutout into the fifth inning as Harvard erupted for six runs to take an 8-0 lead.
 
The Crimson opened the frame with five consecutive hits, leading to four additional runs. During its streak of knocks, Bobowski had a 2-RBI double, Heffley knocked in a run on a two-bagger and Madi Mays plated Marissa Zheng with a single to right. Ella Lee later drove in pair with a two-out single up the middle.
 
Reed lost her shutout bid in the bottom of the fifth after yielding a one-out double but escaped without further damage. Cornell (15-21; 5-12 Ivy) tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but its deficit proved to be too large even after Mays entered in the seventh inning. Mays sent the Big Red down in order, getting three groundouts to secure the Harvard win.
 
In Game 2, the Crimson looked ready to cruise to victory, scoring once in each of the first two innings. Mays hit into a double play that scored Melito and Zheng followed in the next frame with an RBI single, which was a prelude to what would be a big afternoon for the junior.
 
The early offense continued in the third inning, but unfortunately for Harvard, it was Cornell that got in on the action. Four straight singles netted the Big Red the two runs needed to level the score. Cornell's effort chased Mays from the circle, bringing in Katie Arrambide. The first-year got the next three outs on six pitches.
 
Undeterred, Harvard went back to work at the plate and put runners on base. The traffic proved fruitful as Zheng brought home Lee and Molly Dickerson with a single, giving the visitors a 4-2 edge. Zheng finished the game with a career-high two hits and three RBI.
 
Arrambide took things from there, mowing down the Big Red over the next four innings and facing two batters over the minimum. For the afternoon, she logged five scoreless innings, striking out four en route to her sixth win.
 
Harvard secured second place in the Ivy League standings with the two victories, setting up a showdown with Princeton in the Ivy Playoff Series, May 13-14.
 
The Crimson will go for the series sweep of Cornell on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m. ET with the game airing on ESPN+.