NEW YORK, N.Y. – Senior pitcher
Anna Reed made history in Harvard softball's series opener against Columbia, tossing a five-inning no-hitter against the Lions in Harvard's 11-0 run-rule victory on the road.
The Crimson got it done at the plate on Saturday afternoon, outscoring Columbia 21-7 across both victories and recording a combined 28 hits in both games.
Harvard's bats began the series with a bang, orchestrating a stellar offensive showing in a 11-0 run-rule victory against Columbia. The Crimson recorded 14 hits in just five innings, as the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week and first-year infielder
Sophie Sun drove in seven runs on three hits, a new single-game career high in RBIs for the Austin, Texas native.
In game two, the Crimson jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the fourth inning and held off a late Columbia rally to take a 10-7 victory. Sun and senior infielder
Madi Mays combined for six hits, three RBIs, and six runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE:
The Crimson (17-13, 8-6 Ivy League) followed a scoreless first inning with three runs in the second, jumping out to an early lead. Junior infielder
Maya Douglas started the inning strong, knocking a leadoff single. After a hit from junior infielder
Priyanka Kaul, senior outfielder
Lauren Bobowski loaded the bases with a single.
With two outs, Sun came up clutch, firing a single to shallow left field, scoring a pair of runs, 2-0. Mays extended the lead to three with an RBI-single up the middle of the Columbia (12-17, 7-4) infield, 3-0.
In the third inning, Harvard's offense kept rolling. With Douglas in scoring position, Kaul ripped her second hit of the contest, firing a double down the left field line, 4-0. Harvard kept fighting in the frame, as first-year outfielder
Audrey Szollosi worked a walk, followed by a single from Bobowski.
As she's done all season, Sun produced at the plate, launching a bases clearing, three-run RBI double, 7-0. Mays followed Sun's knock with her own RBI, sending a line drive RBI-single to centerfield, 8-0.
A three-time Ivy League Rookie of the Week this year, Sun kept producing at the dish, as the Austin, Texas native roped a ball into the gap with the bases loaded, scoring two runs with an RBI-single, 10-0. In the next at-bat, Mays brought in Harvard's final run of the series opener with an RBI-single, 11-0.
Heading to the bottom of the fifth inning, Reed entered the circle looking to complete the no-hitter. The San Luis Obispo, Calif. native struck out a batter and forced a groundout for the first two outs, as sophomore outfielder
Finley Payne caught a flyball in right field to seal the no-hitter.
Harvard finished with 11 runs on 14 hits, as Bobowski, Mays, Sun all tallied a team-high three hits. The Crimson shutout an opponent for the fourth time this season and log double-digit runs for the second time this year. Reed struck out one batter over her five-inning no hitter, walking five hitters in the process.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO:
Sun continued to power the Harvard offense in game two of the twinbill. With Bobowski on base, the Crimson's fired a hit off the glove of a Columbia defender at the wall, as Bobowski and Sun both scored on a Columbia throwing error, 2-0.
The Crimson scored four runs in the second inning. The opening run came in the sixth at-bat of the frame, as Kaul scored on a Columbia fielding error, 3-0. With two runners on, Mays crushed a pitch to deep center field, doubling Harvard's lead with her fifth homer of the year, 6-0.
In the fourth inning, sophomore outfielder
Lael Ayala started the frame with a bang, sending a pitch past the center field wall for a solo home run, 7-0. After consecutive singles from Mays and Sun, junior outfielder
Savannah Fitzpatrick sliced an RBI-single to score Sun, 8-0. Payne picked up her first RBI of the doubleheader in the next at-bat, scoring Mays, 9-0.
The hosts produced their first runs of the doubleheader in the bottom of the fifth inning off of three home runs. With four runners on, Columbia hit a grand slam, 9-4, followed by a solo home run and a two-run home run, 9-7.
Harvard answered in the sixth inning, scoring a run to extend the lead. With another bases loaded opportunity, Douglas knocked a groundball in the infield, scoring the run on a fielder's choice, 10-7.
Harvard finished with 10 runs on 14 hits, as Sun and Mays each tallied three hits.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:
- Over five innings of work, Reed no-hit Columbia in the series opener, picking up one strikeout in the process.
- Reed's no hitter is the first for the Crimson since Apr. 15, 2024, when sophomore Riley Flynn no-hit Yale in front of the home crowd at Soldiers Field.
- Harvard scored 21 runs and logged 28 hits in both games, as the Crimson have now scored double-digit runs in a game three times this season.
- Mays went a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate against the Lions, driving in six runs along with a home run and two walks.
- Sun leads Harvard in batting average (.443) and OPS (1.253) this season.
UP NEXT:
The Crimson conclude its time in the Big Apple tomorrow, looking to complete the series sweep against Columbia at 12:30 p.m. The series finale will stream live on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of Harvard Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@HarvardSB) and Instagram (@harvardsb).
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