NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Harvard softball fought until the end in the series finale against Yale, as the Crimson fell short in a 11-6 loss against the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon.
Across seven innings, Harvard's offense manufactured six runs on 11 hits, one short of tying the single-game season high. In the second inning, senior infielder and team captain
Madi Mays hit her first home run of the season. Mays now has two home runs in her collegiate career, as her solo shot against the Bulldogs is her first since 2022.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The hosts tallied the first three runs of the contest, as Yale (6-14, 3-0 Ivy League) went up 4-0 in the first inning with three consecutive RBI-singles.
Harvard (9-10, 3-0) responded in the top of the second. First-year designated player
Alexa Wohr found the gap in right center, hustling for a leadoff double. With one out and Wohr on third base, sophomore outfielder
Lael Ayala lofted a sacrifice fly to shallow left field to score Wohr, cutting into the Bulldog's lead, 4-1.
After keeping Yale off the board in the second inning, Harvard kept finding success at the plate in the third. On the first pitch of her at-bat, Mays drilled a solo home run to deep center field to reduce the Yale advant3age to two, 4-2. A native of Pleasant Hill, Calif., Mays' solo shot is the second of her Harvard career and first since 2022.
With the bases loaded in the third inning, Yale restored its four-run lead, hitting a two-run RBI-single to center field, 6-2. The Bulldogs added another five runs in the third inning, extending the lead, 11-2.
The Crimson kept battling in the fourth inning, scoring three runs in the frame. Consecutive RBI-singles from senior outfielder
Lauren Bobowski and first-year infielder
Sophie Sun scored two runs, reducing Yale's lead, 11-4. An excellent bunt from junior catcher
Savannah Fitzpatrick brought in the third and final run of the inning, 11-5.
A key defensive play in the outfield kept Yale off the board in the bottom of fourth. With a Bulldog spiriting to home plate from third after a base hit, Ayala made an excellent throw from the outfield to end the inning and prevent Yale from adding another run.
Harvard added another run in the seventh inning. After hits from sophomore infielder
Finley Payne and junior infielder
Priyanka Kaul, A groundout from Ayala allowed Payne to score the Crimson's sixth and final run of the frame, 11-6.
Harvard recorded six runs on 11 hits against Yale in the series finale, as 10 different Crimson student-athletes recorded at least one hit in the contest.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:
- Mays' home run in the third inning is her first this season and second of her career.
- A native of Pleasant Hill, Calif., Mays' solo shot against the Bulldogs is her first home run since 2022.
- Ten different Harvard student-athletes recorded at least one hit in the series finale against Yale.
- Sun recorded two hits and one RBI against Bulldogs Sunday afternoon.
UP NEXT:
Harvard welcomes Dartmouth to Soldiers Field next weekend for the 2024 home opener on Saturday, Mar. 23 and Sunday, Mar. 24. All three contests will stream live on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of Harvard Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@HarvardSB) and Instagram (@harvardsb).
