Eagles Sweep Harvard Batspeople:

From the Harvard softball team's perspective, there was only one thing wrong with yesterday afternoon's contest.

The score.

Although Crimson pitchers Lora Rowning and Gerri Rubin combined for a five-hitter, and although the Harvard defense backed up both hurlers with stellar play, the score simply refused to budge after seven innings.

Boston College 1, Harvard 0.

"That's the kind of pitching we want, that's the kind of defense we want," Crimson Coach John Wentzell said. "They just got the big hit, and we didn't."

The big hit in question was a leadoff triple by B.C. leftfielder Maria Montouri--who subsequently scored on a sacrifice fly--in the top of the fourth.

And as a result, the Eagles (now 12-19) walked off the field with their second one-run decision over the Crimson batswomen (12-6) this season. Two and a half weeks ago, B.C. edged Harvard in a nine-inning heartbreaker, 3-2.

This time around, though, the Crimson couldn't even manage one run--let alone two.

But for the first three innings, neither could the Eagles.

Rowning got into a bit of a stew in the top of the first, yielding a one-out single and walk, but worked out of trouble by retiring clean-up batter Lori Bench on a pop-up and getting Montouri on an inning-ending fly ball.

Harvard mounted a threat of its own in the bottom of the first, as both Trisha Brown and Sharon Hayes rapped two-out singles. B.C. starter Kelly Davenport settled down, however, and fanned Crimson center fielder Elizabeth Crowley.

The scoreless tie persisted for the next two frames--Davenport held the batswomen hitless, while Rowning succeeded in containing a couple of Eagle flurries.

Rowning might not have shut down the visitors in the top of the third, however, were it not for heads-up play on the part of her outfielders.

After Angie Scussel poked a lead-off single, teammate Trisha Turcynzski pushed a bunt down the third base line. Harvard third baseman Lisa Rowning's wide throw rolled to right fielder Nancy Prior, backing up the play.

Prior whipped the ball over to third to catch an advancing Scussel, but her toss sailed high over Rowning--and into the glove of left fielder Mary Sheehan, who was positioned behind the base.

Sheehan's throw to second caught an over-eager Turcynzski--and instead of second and third, no outs, B.C. had a lone runner on third with one down. Lora Rowning then retired the next two batters to preserve the shut-out.

In the top of the fourth, however, Harvard wasn't so lucky.

After Montouri led off with her smash to deep center, Renee Archambo lofted a fly to Sheehan in left, allowing Montouri to trot home with the first--and only--run of the day.

Rubin took over for Rowning in the sixth, and set the Eagles down in order in both of the following frames. But although the batswomen opened both the sixth and seventh with singles, they couldn't push any runner farther than second base.

THE NOTEBOOK: The Crimson is gearing up for its biggest weekend of the season, as it hosts Brown and Yale for doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. A four-game sweep would ensure Harvard of at least a tie for the league title. Wentzell split the pitching duties yesterday to keep both Rowning and Rubin well-rested for the key Ivy series...Davenport struck out four, while Rubin fanned one...Montouri scored the winning run in the previous Harvard-B.C. match-up.