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Ryan Grace
6
Winner Harvard HAR 21-21-1, 12-9 Ivy
3
Columbia COL 20-21, 12-9 Ivy
Winner
Harvard HAR
21-21-1, 12-9 Ivy
6
Final
3
Columbia COL
20-21, 12-9 Ivy
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Harvard HAR 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 6 12 2
Columbia COL 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 1

W: Grace, Ryan (2-5) L: Laidler, Charlotte (1-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Ends 2026 Regular Season with 6-3 Victory Against Columbia

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Harvard softball capped off the 2026 regular season on a high note, as the Crimson earned a 6-3 road victory against Columbia behind a balanced effort at the plate and dominant showings in the circle.

Senior pitcher and team captain Ryan Grace silenced the Lions lineup coming out of the bullpen, picking up a career-best seven strikeouts while holding the hosts to zero runs and zero hits. At the plate, junior infielder Sophie Sun led the way, picking up four hits to go along with one RBI. Senior infielder Finley Payne picked up her 100th career RBI in the sixth inning, becoming the eighth Crimson in program history to hit the mark.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first inning proved productive for Harvard (21-21-1, 12-9 Ivy League), as the Crimson recorded two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. With the bases loaded, sophomore catcher Quinn Salazar-Stewart grounded out to score the opening run, 1-0, as another groundout from first-year infielder Hannah Ziecik scored the second run of the inning, 2-0.

The scoring continued in the bottom of the first, as Columbia (20-21, 12-9) tied it up with a two-run home run, 2-2.

After a scoreless second frame, the two sides exchanged runs again in the third inning. The Crimson tallied two runs in the top half of the third, as Ziecik drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, 3-2, as the Crimson made it 4-2 after a Columbia fielding error. The Lions drew a run back in the bottom of the third to make a 4-3 scoreline heading into the fourth.

Harvard struck again in the top of the fourth inning. After a leadoff walk from junior outfielder and team captain Audrey Szollosi, Sun capitalized on the scoring opportunity, bringing home the run with an RBI single, 5-3.

The Crimson closed out the scoring in the sixth inning. Sun started the frame off with a double to deep right center field, as Payne drove in the Crimson's sixth run of the day, 6-3. A native of Liberty Township, Ohio, Payne now owns 100 RBIs in her Crimson career, becoming the eighth student-athlete in school history to accomplish the feat.

Grace shutdown the Columbia lineup in the seventh inning to earn the 6-3 victory. Harvard outhit the hosts in convincing fashion, 12-2, as Sun recorded four hits while Payne logged three hits as well. First-year pitcher Serena Gillen started the contest in the circle, tossing 2.1 innings while only allowing two hits, three runs to go along with three strikeouts. Coming out of the bullpen, Grace held the Lions hitless and scoreless across 4.2 innings, recording a career-high seven strikeouts.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

  • Harvard finishes the Ivy League regular season with a 12-9 record, heading into the 2026 Ivy League Tournament as the No. 2 seed.
  • Payne logged her 100th career RBI against Columbia in the series finale, becoming just the eighth student-athlete in school history to accomplish the feat.
  • Grace recorded a career-best seven strikeouts, holding Columbia to zero hits and zero runs across 4.2 innings.
  • With her four hits this afternoon, Sun now has 19 multi-hit efforts this year.

UP NEXT

Harvard heads into the postseason, as the Crimson travel to Princeton, New Jersey from Thursday, May 7 to Saturday, May 9 for the 2026 Ivy League Tournament.

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