Batswomen Sweep Catamounts in Season-Opener

The Harvard softball team decided to come back to Cambridge a day early.

It was not the only coming back the Crimson did Saturday. Harvard opened its 1988 spring season with two come-from-behind victories over Vermont at Soldiers Field.

Veteran hurler Lora Rowning won the first game, 8-4, while sophomore Lee Polikoff took the closing game of the doubleheader, 7-4.

"It was a great way to start the season," Harvard Coach John Wentzell said. "We were pleased."

In the first game, the Catamounts jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead. But the Crimson, sparked by freshman Beth Wambach's two-run double, crossed the plate four times in the bottom of the first.

UVM closed to within a run in the second inning, but the Crimson responded with two more runs in the bottom of the third inning.

The Cats were storming in the first two innings, as they collected three triples and a homer.

But Rowning, coming off an excellent showing during the team's spring break tour in South Carolina, yielded only one run in the final five innings to seal the Harvard victory.

Harvard lashed 11 hits in game one, including two each by Elizabeth Crowley, Co-Captain Sharon Hayes and freshman Beth Reilly.

"Both pitchers bore down," said Crowley, who collected three hits and an RBI in the second game, "and we just kind of rallied behind them."

In the second game, Vermont once again took the early lead, this time a 4-0 advantage after three innings. All those runs were unearned.

But while Polikoff settled down to notch the victory, the Crimson responded.

The Crimson had a couple of bases-loaded situations in the first two innings of the game, but it waited until the fifth inning to score six times--courtesy of some Catamount generosity.

Taking advantage of five free passes to first base, Harvard mustered enough offense to put the game away. Overall, the Crimson drew 12 walks.

"The freshmen had great games," Crowley said. "They just hopped right in there, picked up bats and started hitting."

Harvard travels to Providence tomorrow.