CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sensational performances at the plate defined the day for Harvard softball against Dartmouth, as the Crimson split a doubleheader against the Big Green to close out the weekend.

After falling just short, 12-11, to start the day, Harvard completed a thrilling comeback to take the series finale against the Big Green. Facing a 12-8 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, four straight Crimson hit RBI singles to send the contest into extra innings, as senior infielder Finley Payne sent the home crowd into a frenzy with a walk off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. A native of Liberty Township, Ohio, Payne hit three home runs this weekend, including two in the series finale.

The 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, sophomore infielder Alexa Muller shined at the plate across all three games against the Big Green this weekend, producing team highs in hits (7) and RBIs (8). A native of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Payne now leads the Crimson with a .382 batting average this year.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE

The bottom of the first saw Harvard (11-14-1, 3-3 Ivy League) change the scoreboard with two runs to start the doubleheader at Soldiers Field. With junior outfielder Audrey Szollosi on second base, Sun drove a shot right back up the middle for an RBI single, as senior outfielder Lael Ayala was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to double the lead, 2-0.

In the top of the second inning, Dartmouth (5-12, 3-3) responded with seven runs, as the Crimson utilized the bottom of the second and third innings to stage a dramatic rally. Four runs came in the bottom of the second for the Crimson, all starting with a lead off single from first-year outfielder Sheila Forbes. With Forbes now on third with two outs, Muller cut into the Big Green lead with an RBI single, 7-3. On the very next at-bat, Junior infielder Sophie Sun sent a pitch low in the zone over the fence in right field to bring Harvard within two with a two-run home run, 7-5.

Harvard didn't stop there in the second inning, as sophomore pitcher Nicolette Hunter kept the inning alive by finding the gap in right centerfield for a double, as Ayala capped the inning off with an RBI single to bring the scoreboard to 7-6.

After retiring the Big Green in order to start the third inning, the Crimson leveled the score at seven all in the home half of the frame. Once again, a lead off single from Forbes led to success for the Crimson, as Muller slapped an RBI single to tie up the game, 7-7.

From there, Dartmouth would score five runs across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 12-7 advantage.

Harvard battled back, starting its comeback bid in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Payne took the first pitch of her at-bat to deep center field for a solo home run, 12-8, as the Crimson would strike again in the bottom of the seventh. Muller started the inning strong, bringing in another run with an RBI single, 12-9. Harvard came within two with a sacrifice fly from Hunter, 12-10, as a wild pitch allowed junior utility and team captain Megan Davies to score the third run of the inning, 12-11. The Crimson rally fell just short, as Dartmouth earned the last out to end the 12-11 contest.

Harvard tallied 11 runs in the doubleheader opener, as the Crimson outhit the Big Green, 15-12. Muller was superb at the plate, driving in a team high three runs with three hits. Ayala and Sun also drove in multiple runs, as six Crimson ended the contest with multi-hit showings.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO

The series finale started with Dartmouth in the driver's seat, as the visitors scored three runs in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, Muller picked up right where she left off from in the doubleheader opener, driving in Harvard's first run of the day with an RBI single, 3-1.

After Dartmouth added two more runs in the top of the second, 5-1, Payne's second home run of the day pulled Harvard within three, 5-2.

Harvard kept the Dartmouth offense at bay in the top of the third, as the Crimson tallied a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to pull within one run. With sophomore catcher Quinn Salazar-Stewart on first, Muller crushed an RBI triple, 5-3, as Sun battled in a 0-2 count to score Muller with an RBI single, 5-4.

The fourth inning saw both teams tally three runs. Following a three-run burst from the Big Green, 8-4, Harvard found way to stay within reach of Dartmouth in its half of the inning. A Big Green error allowed the first run to score, 8-5, as a wild pitch and another RBI single from Muller scored the next two runs, 8-7.

Following a scoreless fifth inning, both sides traded runs again in the sixth inning. With the scoreboard sitting at 9-7, another Dartmouth fielding error allowed a run to score for the Crimson, 9-8.

Three Dartmouth runs crossed the plate in the top of the seventh, 12-8, as the Crimson staged a thrilling rally to send the contest into extra innings in the bottom of the seventh. Hunter started the inning off with a leadoff single to left field, as a walk from Ayala and a single from Forbes loaded the bases.

Harvard showed cased its clutch gene from there, as first-year infielder Hannah Ziecik, Szollosi, Salazar-Stewart and Muller combined for four consecutive RBI singles to send the contest into the eighth inning, 12-12.

First-year pitcher Serena Gillen retired the Big Green in order in the top of the eighth inning, as Payne captured the 13-12 victory with a walk off solo home run, her second home run of the game and her third home run of the day.

Harvard scored a season-high 13 runs on 18 hits, the most in a game this season since the 2024 season. After driving in three runs in the first game of the twinbill, Muller tallied a career-best five runs with four hits, as the five RBIs are the most for a Crimson in a single game this year. Payne now leads Harvard with six home runs this season, as this is her first career game with multiple home runs.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Harvard combined for 24 runs and 33 hits across both games against the Big Green today, the most for the Crimson in back-to-back games this season.
• The Crimson logged season highs in hits (18) and runs scored (13) in the series finale against the Dartmouth. The 18 hits are the most in a game since the 2024 season.
• Payne hits two home runs in a single game for the first time in her collegiate career.
• Muller recorded a career-high five RBIs in the series finale, as she also matched her career best in hits with four.
• This is Harvard's first walk off win at Soldiers Field since Apr. 11, 2024, when it bested Yale, 6-5, in nine innings. 

UP NEXT

The Crimson is back on the road next weekend, as Harvard heads to Upstate New York for a three-game set against Cornell on Saturday, Apr. 4 and Sunday, Apr. 5. All three games of the series between the Crimson and the Big Red will air live on ESPN+.
 
For complete coverage of Harvard Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@HarvardSB) and Instagram (@harvardsb).