STATESBORO, Ga. – Harvard softball excelled on the opening day of the 2025 season, picking up wins against Furman and tournament host Georgia Southern at the Bash in the Boro.

The Crimson began the 2025 campaign with a statement, taking down Furman with a well-rounded showing in the circle and at the plate, 8-1. In her first collegiate start, first-year catcher Quinn Salazar-Stewart shined, tallying two hits and a game-high three RBIs. Harvard's pitching staff limited the Padalins' offense to six hits and one run with six strikeouts.

Harvard carried the momentum into the final contest of opening day, as the Crimson battled past tournament host Georgia Southern, 6-2. The Crimson once again tallied double-digit hits, as junior Riley Flynn was dominant in her first start in the circle of the year, allowing only one hit and two runs to go along with three strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE:
In the opening contest of the 2025 season, the Crimson offense established an immediate rhythm at the plate. After sophomore outfielder Audrey Szollosi produced a leadoff four-pitch walk, Salazar-Stewart handed Harvard its first lead of the ball game, finding the gap in right field for her first collegiate hit and RBI, 1-0.

After Furman responded and leveled the score in the top of the second, the Crimson retook the lead and never looked back in the same frame. A triple from junior infielder Finley Payne and a walk from sophomore designated player Alexa Wohr kicked off the inning for the Harvard bats, as a groundout from junior outfielder Lael Ayala allowed Wohr to score, 2-1.

After sophomore pitcher Nicolette Hunter shut the door on the Furman offense with a strikeout and two groundouts, the Crimson extended its lead in the bottom of the third inning. With two runners on, senior infielder Priyanka Kaul slashed a line drive to shallow right field for a one-run RBI-single, 3-1. Last season saw Kaul earn NFCA Northeast All-Region Third Team honors.

Harvard kept rolling in the fourth inning, tallying a game-high four runs in the frame to put Furman out of reach. Wohr started the inning strong, sneaking a single between shortstop and third base for a leadoff hit. Back-to-back singles from sophomore infielder Megan Davies and Szollosi established a bases loaded opportunity for Salazar-Stewart. The first-year from Chandler, Arizona delivered, scoring a pair of runs with a single to shallow centerfield, 5-1. After a passed ball allowed Szollosi to reach home safely, 6-1, Kaul recorded another RBI with an infield single, 7-1.

In the fourth inning alone, the Crimson recorded seven hits, all of them singles.

The reigning Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Year, sophomore infielder Sophie Sun wrapped up the Crimson's victory with a bang, hitting the first home run of the 2025 season to deep left field, 8-1.

Harvard excelled on both sides of the field in the 8-1 win against Furman. The Crimson bats produced eight runs on 13 hits, as nine different Crimson recorded at least one hit.

An All-Ivy League honorable mention in her first collegiate season, Hunter allowed just one run and six hits over 4.2 innings in the circle, striking out three batters in the process. Junior pitcher and team captain Ryan Grace added 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings in relief, as the Sammamish, Washington native also recorded three strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO:
The Crimson offense picked up right where it left off in the 8-1 win against Furman, scoring the opening two runs of the contest against tournament host Georgia Southern in the first inning.

Szollosi set the table for a scoring opportunity with a bunt single on a 1-0 count, as Sun followed with a single on a full count with one out. Senior outfielder and team captain Savannah Fitzpatrick put the Crimson in the driver seat, as she sent a two-run RBI single right up the middle, 2-0. A native of Marengo, Ohio, Fitzpatrick now has 45 RBIs in her Crimson career.

In the bottom of the first, Flynn stalled the Eagles' offense with back-to-back strikeouts, allowing Harvard to grow the lead in the second inning. With two runners on base, Salazar-Stewart drove a groundball to second base, bringing in first-year outfielder Elena Weinseimer for the third run of the game, 3-0.

Both pitching staffs found success in the third fourth and innings, keeping those frames scoreless, but the Crimson struck again in the fifth. A fielding error from Georgia Southern provided Harvard a leadoff runner on second base. After a groundout allowed the runner to advance to third, Sun scored on a wild pitch, 4-0.

Later on in the top of the fifth, Harvard tagged on more runs. With Kaul on first, junior infielder Finley Payne crushed a pitch off the wall in deep center field, pushing the Crimson lead to five runs, 5-0. The hosts scored two in their half of the fifth, 5-2.

An RBI-single from Kaul in the seventh inning closed the book on Harvard's second win of the 2025 season, as the Crimson scored six runs on 11 hits. Harvard did not commit an error against the Eagles.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:

• In her collegiate debut, Salazar-Stewart went two-for-four at the plate against Furman, driving in a game-high three runs as well.
• Four multi-hit showings highlighted Harvard's offensive display in the win against Furman.
• The reigning Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Year, Sun hit the Crimson's first home run of the year against Furman.
• Grace, Hunter and Ryan were stellar in the circle for Harvard, as the tiro combined for a 1.50 earned run average, 11 strikeouts, and only allowed two runs in the wins against the Paladins and Eagles.
• Five Crimson made their collegiate debuts on opening day of the 2025 season.
• First-Years Alexa Muller, Julia Mizo, Marley Nielson, Weinseimer and Salazar-Stewart all donned the Crimson for the first time in Statesboro.

UP NEXT:

The Crimson look to keep rolling tomorrow at the second of the day of the Bash in the Boro, as rematches against Furman and Georgia Southern are on deck. Harvard opens Saturday with a 3 p.m. meeting against the Eagles and ends the afternoon with a 5:30 p.m. showdown against the Paladins.

For complete coverage of Harvard Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@HarvardSB) and Instagram (@harvardsb).