PHOENIX, Ariz. – Harvard softball wrapped up its time out west at the GCU Invite, as the Crimson dropped narrow decisions against tournament host Grand Canyon and Northern Colorado.

Senior pitcher Riley Flynn was stellar in the circle for the Crimson in a close 2-1 loss against a Grand Canyon squad that received votes in the latest NFCA/GoRout Coaches Poll. Pitching in her hometown, Flynn only allowed two runs and three hits across 4.2 innings, picking up two strikeouts along the way. Junior infielder Alexa Wohr, another Phoenix, Arizona native, hit the Crimson's first home run of the 2026 season in the top of the seventh.

The Crimson closed out its time at the GCU Invite with a rematch against Northern Colorado, falling just short against the Bears, 4-2. Junior outfielder and team captain Audrey Szollosi picked up two hits in the matchup with Northern Colorado, as junior infielder Sophie Sun drove in two runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE

Grand Canyon (10-0, 0-0 Mountain West) scored the opening run of the game in the bottom of the first, but from there the Crimson silenced an offense that currently leads the Mountain West in batting average. The second, third and fourth innings saw Flynn keep the hosts hitless and scoreless, striking out two batters in that time frame.

With the scoreboard standing at 2-0 in favor of Grand Canyon with two outs in the top of the seventh, Harvard (1-3, 0-0 Ivy League) pulled a run back. Facing a two-strike count, Wohr sent a pitch to deep left field for the first home run of the season, 2-1. A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Wohr hits her second career home run in her home state.

From there, the hosts would hold onto the 2-1 win. Harvard tallied one run on three hits, as Flynn was impressive in the circle. The 2023 Ivy League Rookie of the Year kept Harvard within reach for the entire contest, only allowing two runs, three hits and tallying two strikeouts across 4.2 innings of work.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO
In the rematch with Northern Colorado (4-6, 0-0 Big Sky), the Bears produced the opening runs in the bottom of the first inning, 2-0.

After a scoreless first inning, Harvard leveled the score in the top of the third frame. Senior outfielder Lael Ayala ripped a leadoff single to right field on the second pitch of her at bat, as sophomore catcher Hailey Neuner was hit by a pitch to put more traffic on the basepaths. Following a single from first-year outfielder Sheila Forbes, Sun brought home two runs to tie the score up with an RBI-single, 2-2.

Northern Colorado reestablished its two-run lead, 4-2, with runs in the bottom of the third and fifth innings. Sophomore utility Alexa Muller started the top of the seventh off with a leadoff double to deep center field, but the Bears would record three consecutive outs to end the contest.

Harvard recorded two runs on six hits against Northern Colorado, as Szollosi recorded two or more hits in a contest for the second time this weekend. Sophomore pitcher Linden McCarl and senior pitcher and team captain Ryan Grace each tossed scoreless frames out of the bullpen.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Wohr, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, hit the Crimson's first home run of the season against Grand Canyon. The home run is Wohr's second career homer and first since the 2024 campaign.
• Flynn held Grand Canyon, the leading offense in the Mountain West based on batting average, to only two runs and three hits across 4.2 innings of work.
• Starting in center field in all four contests this weekend, Szollosi led the Crimson in hits (6) and runs scored (2) at the GCU Invite.
• In the circle, Grace led the way with a 0.78 earned run average, tallying team highs in strikeouts (10) and innings pitched (9.0).

UP NEXT

Harvard returns to the east coast next weekend, featuring at the Upstate Classic and the Sparkle City Invite in Spartanburg, South Carolina from Friday, Feb. 20 to Sunday, Feb. 22.

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