ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Harvard Softball team split their final two games at the Garnet & Gold Tournament, defeating NCCU 5-4 but later falling to LIU 8-5. The Crimson are now 3-2 after the first weekend of action. 

Harvard vs. NCCU: How it Happened

Harvard got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Harvard scored twice, with one run coming across on Allison Heffley's single. 

The Crimson then held the Eagles scoreless before expanding their lead in the third inning. Harvard put up two runs in the frame, punctuated with an RBI triple off the bat of Brianna Jewett, which brought the Crimson lead to 4-0.

North Carolina Central narrowed Harvard's lead to 4-2 before the Crimson stretched the advantage to 5-2 in the fifth inning. North Carolina Central put two runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but Harvard still held on for the 5-4 win.

Harvard vs. NCCU: Game Highlights

• Harvard took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 5-4 win over the North Carolina Central Eagles.
• First-year Riley Flynn (1-0) started in the circle and picked up the win for Harvard (3-1). The right-hander went four innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on three hits, allowing one walk and striking out five.
• Flynn struck out five Eagles hitters.
• Heffley led the way offensively for the Crimson, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame with a double and an RBI. Jewett compiled a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. First-year Finley Payne also contributed, going 1-for-4 for Harvard with a double and an RBI.
• Harvard's highest scoring inning was the third, when it pushed two runs across.
• The Crimson out-hit the Eagles at a 7-6 clip.
• Senior Trina Hoang stole two bases in Sunday's game.
• Harvard pitchers faced 28 North Carolina Central hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and four fly balls while striking out seven.

Harvard vs. LIU: How it Happened

Trailing 1-0, the Crimson first put runs on the board in the first inning. Heffley put Harvard on the board with a two-out solo home run.

The Sharks broke the tie and re-took the lead heading into the third inning, when the Crimson got back on the scoreboard. Harvard scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Heffley, which tightened the Sharks lead to 5-2.

LIU built their lead to 7-2 before the Harvard offense got back to work, reducing that lead to 7-3 in the sixth.

The Sharks expanded their lead to 8-3 before the Harvard offense got made a comeback, cutting into that lead in the seventh. Madi Mays' run-scoring single brought home one run in a two-run output for the Crimson, tightening the LIU lead to 8-5. The Crimson were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.

Harvard vs. LIU: Game Highlights

• Junior Anna Reed was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going four innings, surrendering two runs, zero earned, on two hits, walking two and striking out one.
• Heffley led the way offensively for the Crimson, going 3-for-4 in the ballgame with a double, a home run and two RBI. Mays compiled a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Payne also contributed, going 2-for-4 for Harvard.
• The Crimson got three-hit games from both Heffley and Mays.
• Harvard's power output was led by Heffley, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame.
• Harvard's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed two runs across.
• Crimson pitchers limited LIU to just 3-for-16 (.188) with runners in scoring position.They faced 37 LIU hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out three.

Up Next

The Crimson will travel south once again to play five games in the Gardner-Webb Red and Black Tournament from Friday, March 3 to Sunday, March 5.