NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Harvard softball began its Ivy League slate this afternoon, as the Crimson split a doubleheader against Yale at 5K Corral Field at DeWitt Family Stadium.

Once again, Harvard was excellent on both sides of the field in the series opener against the Bulldogs, as timely hitting and dominant pitching lifted Harvard to a 6-2 win. Senior infielder Finley Payne started the scoring in the second inning with a solo home run, as sophomores Quinn Salazar-Stewart and Alexa Muller paced the Harvard offense with career days at the plate.

The second contest of the twinbill saw the hosts maintain a lead for the majority of the contest, as Yale evened the series with a 4-1 win. One of the top pitchers in the Ivy League, junior pitcher Nicolette Hunter hit her first career home run in the fourth inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE

The scoring started in the second inning against Yale (8-14, 2-4 Ivy League), as Harvard (9-12-1, 1-1) tallied the opening run with a bang. On the second pitch of her at-bat, Payne sent a shot to deep right field, putting the Crimson ahead, 1-0, with a solo home run.

A native of Liberty Township, Ohio and a two-time All-Ivy League honoree, Payne now has three home runs and 20 RBIs during the 2026 season, as Payne has 12 home runs in her collegiate career.

In the circle, Hunter continued to silence the Bulldogs offense, keeping the hosts off the board in the bottom of the second and third innings with a strikeout while not allowing a hit. Harvard doubled its lead in the top of the fourth inning. Facing an 0-2 count, Salazar-Stewart found the gap in right center field, as she raced to third base for a leadoff triple. An at-bat later, Muller drove in the second run of the day with a sacrifice fly, 2-0.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Crimson orchestrated a three-run showing in the top of the sixth to grow the lead. With two runners on base, Muller was once again clutch in a pivotal moment in the series opener, as the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year cleared the bases with a two-run RBI double, 4-0. Later in the frame, senior outfielder Lael Ayala slapped a single to drive in the Crimson's fifth run of the day, 5-0.

Yale pulled a run a back in the sixth inning, 5-1, as Harvard immediately restored its five-run advantage in the seventh. Once again, the combination of Muller and Salazar-Stewart proved effective. On a 1-1 count, Salazar-Stewart fired off single into the outfield to put a runner on with two outs, as Muller crushed a pitch into the gap in right center field, picking up her fourth RBI of the day with a double.

The bottom of the seventh saw the Bulldogs score one run, as senior pitcher Ryan Grace struck out back-to-back batters to secure the Crimson's 6-2 win against Yale to start Ivy League play.

The Crimson tallied its six runs with 11 hits, as the Crimson go back-to-back contests with double digit hits. Salzar-Stewart went a perfect four-for-four at the plate, as her four hits against the Bulldogs represents a career-high and the most for a Crimson in a single game this season. With four RBIs in the series opener, Muller matches her single game career high and becomes the fourth Crimson this season to drive in four runs in a contest.

In the circle, Hunter put in 5.1 innings of work, striking out three batters while only allowing one hit and one run. Grace struck out four batters across 1.2 innings in the circle.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO

The second contest of the series between Harvard and Yale saw the hosts produce the opening runs in the first and second innings, as the Bulldogs took a 4-0 lead into the fourth inning.

With one swing, Harvard cut the Yale lead to three in the top of the fourth inning. On the first pitch of her at-bat, Hunter ripped a shot down the left field line for her first career home run, 1-0. A native of Camarillo, California, Hunter is the sixth different Crimson to hit a home run during the 2026 campaign.

From there, Yale held on, taking the second game of the series via a 4-1 scoreline. Harvard outhit the Bulldogs, 8-7, in the contest, as four different Crimson recorded multi-hit efforts. In the circle, senior pitcher Riley Flynn tossed her second-straight complete game effort, picking up 8 strikeouts in the process. A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Flynn has struck out 20 batters in her last 14 innings pitched.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Salazar-Stewart recorded four hits in the series opener against Yale, a new career-high for the Chandler, Arizona native and the most for a Crimson in a game this season.
• Muller drove in four runs against the Bulldogs in the first game of the series, matching her career high as the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the year is the fourth Crimson this season to drive in four runs in a single game this year.
• Hunter hit her first career home run in the second game of today's twinbill, as she is the sixth different Crimson to hit a home run this season.
• Flynn, the 2023 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, struck out eight batters across her second-straight complete game effort. Flynn has now collected 20 strikeouts in her last 14 innings in the circle.
• Harvard recorded 11 hits in the series opening victory against the Bulldogs, as Harvard collects double-digit hits in a single game for the seventh time this season.

UP NEXT

Harvard concludes its time in New Haven, Connecticut tomorrow, as the Crimson look to win its first Ivy League series of the season when it takes on the Bulldogs at 12:30 p.m. Harvard fans can watch every pitch of tomorrow's contest live on ESPN+.

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