Softball Splits Start of Season

It was an uneven beginning to the season for the Harvard softball team.

To open the season, the Crimson traveled to California to participate in the four-game Harrison Classic at UC Riverside. And after building up a 2-0 record with a pair of 4-2 victories, Harvard fell back to .500, suffering a pair of disastrous 8-0 losses.

While the first half of the weekend featured strong pitching and solid hitting, both offense and defense faltered as the weekend wore on.

After the opening weekend, Harvard (2-2) returned home with mixed feelings, having earned a victory against Southern Utah, but splitting two games against Cal Poly, and losing to UC Riverside.

CAL POLY 8, HARVARD 0

Plagued by lackluster offense and inconsistent pitching, Harvard was routed 8-0 by Cal Poly (13-10) in six innings, shut out for the second time in as many games.

With the decisive victory, the Mustangs earned some revenge for the loss they experienced at the hands of the Crimson the day before.

Cal Poly’s pitchers scattered just two hits as the Harvard hitters were unable to break out of their late-weekend slump.

The Crimson offense was stymied by starter Robyn Kontra, whom it had beaten in the previous meeting.

“I would say our inexperience playing outside caught up with us,” sophomore shortstop Lauren Brown said. “Playing against teams that have played several games outside, I think the adrenaline wore off.”

While Harvard held the Mustangs scoreless for the first two innings, they suddenly erupted in the third.

By the time the dust had settled at the end of the sixth, Cal Poly had collected 12 hits, launched two home runs, and was sitting on an insurmountable 8-0 lead.

UC RIVERSIDE 8, HARVARD 0

After starting its season with two impressive victories, Harvard was slammed by UC Riverside (7-19) in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader for a six-inning 8-0 shutout loss.

The Crimson tried several pitchers, but none could completely shut down the Highlander hitters.

Starter Lauren Bettinelli took a tough loss, giving up six hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Reliever Amanda Watkins also struggled, surrendering three runs in the final inning as UC Riverside put the game out of reach.

In contrast to the explosive bats of the Highlanders, Harvard’s lineup remained silent for the duration of the game, worn out after the first half of the doubleheader.

“A doubleheader isn’t something you can really practice for, so it was sort of a mental exhaustion,” first baseman Cecily Gordon said. “We came off an early game and we played wonderfully, and then I just think we let down. It was just a function of us not quite being prepared mentally.”

While Bettinelli contributed to her own cause with a base knock, the Crimson managed just one other hit—a single by outfielder Suzie Winkeller—in six innings of play.

HARVARD 4, CAL POLY 2

Propelled by a solid starting perfor

mance, exceptional relief pitching, and timely hitting, Harvard surged to a 4-2 victory over Cal Poly (11-10) in the first half of the Saturday doubleheader.

Junior starter Michele McAteer allowed two hits and both Mustang runs in her three innings of work before being replaced by sophomore Becky Voaklander.

Voaklander picked up a well-earned victory with four innings of three-hit, shutout relief that ended the Cal Poly comeback attempt.

“When Becky went in, the hitters couldn’t really touch her,” McAteer said. “She really came out strong and