Eagles Soar Above Sluggers

After a disappointing loss to Brown took the Harvard softball team out of Ivy title contention last weekend, the Crimson had little reason left to challenge Boston College yesterday afternoon at Shea Field.

Eagle freshman Britney Thompson handed Harvard (19-18-1, 7-5 Ivy) the loss, hurling a five-hitter from the mound and smacking a pair of two-run homers at the plate in the 5-1 win for BC (28-21, 7-9).

“She’s obviously a very good player,” co-captain pitcher Kara Brotemarkle said. “And we would have been a lot more effective against her if we had been able to shut her down.”

Facing a 5-0 deficit, the Crimson found its best offensive effort in the top of the seventh inning. Co-captain second baseman Sara Williamson led off with a hard shot that Eagle shortstop Amy Swiderski failed to handle.

Sophomore catcher Erin Halpenny tacked on a long single to left center and sophomore pinch hitter Pilar Adams loaded the bases with a single to third base.

Junior Annie Dell’Aria fouled out to first base for the first out of the inning.

With the bases juiced, sophomore center fielder Kerry Flaherty launched a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring Williamson home.

“We didn’t give up in the seventh inning,” Halpenny said. “We still fought hard. [Kerry’s hit] was just a few feet from going out, and we would have had a 5-3 game.”

But Thompson forced a groundout from junior Lauren Bettinelli to close out the game and secure the win.

Harvard dug itself a hole early. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Thompson hit a two run home run to centerfield. After the dinger, Brotemarkle forced a popfly to Williamson to end the inning.

The Eagles threatened again in the bottom of the second with two singles up the middle but left both runners stranded.

With the Crimson still unable to muster a hit, BC went on the offensive again in the bottom of the third. Obrest once again reached first, this time on a passed ball on the third strike. As if enacting a replay of the first inning, Thompson hit a shot over the right-center fence. With seven hits in the first three innings, the Eagles took an insurmountable 4-0 lead.

“We’ve been down that far before and come back,” Brotemarkle said. “It’s hard because they were keeping us off balance and off the bases.”

Junior left fielder Lauren Stefanchik picked up the first hit for Harvard in the top of the fourth, bunting for a single. She took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman right fielder Julia Kidder.

Freshman third baseman Virginia Fritsch came to the plate with just one out. But last week’s Ivy League Rookie of the Week ripped a shot that was fielded by BC third baseman Kristin Allain for an out. Williamson could not turn her hit fair, and the Eagles’ left fielder Kimmy Hopkin caught it in foul territory, stranding Stefanchik.

BC added its final run in the bottom of that frame. Sarah Kellner pinch ran for Jacqui Goodchild, who had reached base on an error. She crossed the plate on a single from Obrest.

Bettinelli relieved Brotemarkle, tossing 2 1/3 innings and surrendering one hit and one strikeout. Freshman Becky Voaklander threw the final inning, also giving up one hit and fanning one batter.

The Crimson left five runners on base in the effort and managed as many hits.

It plays its final Ivy doubleheader on Saturday at Soldiers Field against Dartmouth.

—Staff writer Carrie Petri can be reached at petri@fas.harvard.edu.