ITHACA, N.Y. – Across the first two games of the series against Cornell, Harvard softball's offense exploded for 25 runs and seven home runs, as the Crimson and Big Red each earned a victory on Saturday afternoon at Niemand-Robison Softball Field.
The Crimson went back-and-forth against the Big Red in the series opener, as Cornell pulled ahead in the sixth inning to take game one, 10-6.
In game two, Harvard responded with an exciting and historic offensive showcase, as six home runs from three different student-athletes pushed the Crimson to a 19-1 run-rule victory on the road. First-Year infielder
Sophie Sun hit three home runs in the game, a career-high, while junior outfielder and team captain
Savannah Fitzpatrick recorded the first multi-home run effort of her career with two homers. The 19 runs matches the program record for most runs scored in an Ivy League contest, tying the Crimson's 19-1 win against Dartmouth in 1994.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE:
The hosts opened the scoring in the second inning, grabbing the initial lead on a hard-hit infield single, 1-0. Senior pitcher
Anna Reed kept the Cornell (7-25, 4-13 Ivy League) attack at bay, forcing a pop-up to end a bases loaded chance for the Big Red in the bottom of the second.
As it's done all year, Harvard (23-15, 13-7) battled back, tying the score in the next frame. On a 2-0 count, senior infielder and team captainÂ
Madi Mays got a hold of a pitch on the inside part of the plate, sending a solo shot deep to left field to bring the Crimson level, 1-1. A team captain, Mays is second on the team in home runs with a career-high six.
Harvard's bats found more success in the fourth inning, jumping into the lead with a two-run inning. With the bases loaded, sophomore outfielder
Lael Ayala lofted an RBI-single to right field to score the go-ahead run, 2-1. Sun doubled Harvard's lead with a sacrifice fly, 3-1.
Cornell responded in its half of the fourth, drawing level with a two-run RBI double down the third base line, 3-3. Later in the frame, the Big Red jumped to a two-run advantage with a two-run RBI-single, 5-3. The hosts added to their lead with an RBI-single before the end of the fourth, 6-3.
The back-and-forth scoring continued in the fifth inning, as the Crimson got a run back, as sophomore infielder
Finley Payne scored on a passed ball, 6-4. In the home half of the fifth, Cornell reestablished its three-run lead on a Crimson fielding error, 7-4.
In the sixth inning, Harvard manufactured a run for the fourth straight inning. Senior outfielder and team captain
Lauren Bobowski crushed a leadoff ground rule double, as Sun worked a walk to put two runners aboard. Back-to-back passed balls allowed Bobowski to score, 7-5. With Sun on third and two outs, junior infielder
Maya Douglas snuck an RBI-single past the Big Red shortstop to bring Harvard within one, 7-6.
Cornell added to its lead in the sixth inning, scoring three runs to secure the victory, 10-6.
The Crimson scored six runs on seven hits in the opening game of the series, as Douglas and Payne each produced multi-hit efforts.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO:
Harvard bounced back from the game one defeat with an incredible start in game two. After leadoff single from Bobowski in the first inning, Sun crushed a no-doubt two-run home run to deep left field, putting the Crimson ahead, 2-0. After Harvard scored on a Cornell throwing error, 3-0, Douglas doubled the Crimson advantage with a three-run home run, the second homer of the frame, 6-0. Sun orchestrated another stellar at-bat in the first inning, scoring the last run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, 7-0.
After Cornell scored its first run of the game, 7-1, Harvard restored its seven-run lead in the second inning, pulling off the double steal with runners on first and third base, 8-1.
The fireworks continued in the third inning, as Fitzpatrick sent a ball deep past the right field wall for Harvard's third home run of the day and her second of the 2024 season, 10-1. The scoring continued in the third inning, as Harvard scored on an infield RBI-single from junior designated player
Priyanka Kaul, 11-1.
Two more home runs arrived in the fourth inning for the Crimson. Sun followed a leadoff extra base hit from Bobowski with her second homer of the afternoon, 13-1. Two at-bats later, Fitzpatrick skied her second homer of the contest to deep right field, marking the first time in career she's hit multiple home runs in a single game, 15-1.
Harvard's bats reached historic heights in the fifth inning. With Bobowski on base again, Sun recorded her third homer of the contest, hitting this one the opposite way past the right field wall, 17-1. Senior catcher
Allison O'Heany brought home Harvard's final two runs of the game with a two-run RBI-single, 19-1.
Harvard finished the game with 19 runs on 20 hits, setting new season-highs in both categories. The 19 runs matches the program record for most runs scored in an Ivy League contest, as the Crimson won 19-1 against Dartmouth in 1994. Reed earned the victory in the circle, striking out three batters while allowing one run and four hits.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:
- Harvard scored 19 runs in the game two victory against the Big Red, matching the program record for most runs in an Ivy League contest. The Crimson defeated the Big Green, 19-1, during the 1994 campaign.
- Harvard hit six home runs in game two, setting a new single-game high this season.
- Sun, who was recently selected for the NFCA's Top 25 Freshman of the Year list, recorded three home runs in game two, setting a new career-high.
- The Austin, Texas native also drove in seven runs, tying her single-game career high.
- Fitzpatrick launched two home runs in the game two victory, hitting multiple home runs in a single game for the first time in her career.
UP NEXT:
The Crimson face Cornell in the regular season finale tomorrow, taking on Cornell at 12:30 p.m. Harvard fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of Harvard Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@HarvardSB) and Instagram (@harvardsb).
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