Harvard Softball Goes 1-2 in Tight Series Against Dartmouth

Following a weekend of mixed results against Yale, the Crimson returned home to Soldiers Field to face off against Dartmouth. Competition was tight across the whole weekend, with neither team losing by more than one run, and two games across the series going into extra innings. While the Big Green took the upper hand in the first two games, winning 3-2 and 12-11, it was senior infielder Finley Payne who secured Harvard’s walk-off 13-12 win with a home run to center field in the third game.

Harvard 2, Dartmouth 3

The opening inning of the series started quietly as junior pitcher Nicolette Hunter battled her way to two early strikeouts. However, the Crimson (11-14-1, 3-3 Ivy) also took the inning to warm up its bats, with only junior shortstop Sophie Sun getting on base with a walk.

It was Dartmouth (5-12, 3-3) who found its form first, getting runners into scoring position with a left-center single and a double down the right field line. While Hunter nearly escaped the inning unscathed with two strikeouts, a passed ball allowed the Big Green to steal home and take the first lead of the game.

Both teams continued to battle in the box, getting both hits and outs on each side of the diamond to keep the score at 1-0. A bunt from junior captain Audrey Szollosi started a run that left the Crimson with bases loaded, but Dartmouth made a crucial catch in center field to maintain its lead.

The Big Green extended its advantage in the top of the fifth inning, getting three hits in three hitters to make the score 2-0. Despite still sitting in scoring position, senior captain Ryan Grace subbed onto the mound, shutting down Dartmouth’s offense with two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, it was Sun who swung the momentum Harvard’s way. With two steals, the standout shortstop managed to put herself in scoring position from a walk. A sacrifice fly from sophomore catcher Quinn Salazar-Stewart brought Sun home and gave the Crimson its first run of the game.

While Dartmouth thwarted Harvard’s offense in the sixth inning, the Crimson continued to fight. Sophomore pinch hitter Hailey Neuner got the action started with a walk to get on base, and a double from Salazar-Stewart put a runner in scoring position. A single from Payne was enough to tie the score and send the game to extra innings.

Neither team could break through in the eighth inning, but Dartmouth managed to capitalize on a throwing error to score an infield home run. Harvard couldn’t get its rally started, falling just short in the opening game of the series.

Harvard 11, Dartmouth 12

In the second game of the series, it was Harvard who rounded the bases first, with both Szollosi and Sun scoring for an early 2-0 lead. However, the Big Green responded quickly. A series of errors from the Crimson opened up the diamond for Dartmouth to bring home four runs in five batters. Two home runs only extended the lead further. As the high-scoring first inning came to a close, the score was 7-2 in the Big Green’s favor.

Undeterred by the tough inning, freshman outfielder Shelia Forbes got things moving for Harvard as she ripped a single down the left field line, stealing her way to third base. An RBI from sophomore first baseman Alexa Muller brought Forbes home before Sun sent the ball flying past right field for her fifth home run of the season. The hits kept coming as senior Lael Ayala hit a ball to left field for an RBI single, closing up the score 7-6.

The runs continued for Harvard as Forbes again scored in the bottom of the third inning to lock the score at seven. However, Dartmouth didn’t let up, again capitalizing on the Crimson’s mistakes to retake its lead by two runs. Three more runs for the Big Green through the fifth and sixth innings put Harvard on the back foot going into the closing minutes of the game.

Payne swung the momentum Harvard’s way with a home run to center field, chipping away at Dartmouth’s lead to make the score 12-8. Grace built on the energy, shutting down the Big Green’s offensive attempts with two strikeouts to give the Crimson one last chance for a comeback.

Szollosi again got the hitting started with a bunt, making her way to second off an error from Dartmouth. Muller brought the junior captain home with an RBI single before Salazar-Stewart made her way around the bases as well, closing up the score 12-10. Junior captain Megan Davies then stole home to bring the Crimson within one run of tying the game with runners on second and third, but Harvard couldn’t get the last run in, just losing out, 12-11.

Harvard 13, Dartmouth 12

Having fallen to the Big Green by just one run in the past two competitions, Harvard entered its final game of the series with a vengeance.

However, Dartmouth again came out swinging, getting a home run off of freshman pitcher Serena Gillen to take an early 3-0 lead.

Despite the early deficit, the Crimson got to work, chipping away at the Big Green’s defense with solid hits and stolen bases, bringing Szollosi home to close up the score by one.

Another two runs from Dartmouth extended its lead 5-1, but Payne notched her fifth homer of the season to close down the gap. Harvard continued to make inroads, with Muller hitting an RBI triple to right center field before making her way to home plate herself, closing up the score to 5-4.

The game remained competitive and high scoring, as both sides traded runs, both bringing home three runners through the fourth inning, and one runner through the sixth. That being said, Dartmouth again seemed to get the upper hand at the top of the seventh, making the most of singles and walks to extend its lead by three runs for a 12-8 score.

With the game on the line, Hunter got the ball rolling with a single to start the inning. A series of walks and singles then allowed the Crimson to round the bases, scoring four runs to tie things up and send the game to extra innings. Gillen continued to perform, tallying three outs in three hitters to give Harvard the chance for the walk-off win.

It was Payne who ended the competition with flair, driving her third home run of the weekend to center field to win the game 13-12.

The Crimson’s strong performance this weekend puts it in third place in the conference in the second week of Ivy League play. Across the series, Harvard showed that it can come up with clutch runs when it needs to, with Payne now leading the team in home runs, and Muller leading the team in batting average. However, Dartmouth was also able to capitalize on some of the gaps in the Crimson’s defense, which the Harvard team will look to close as it strives to fight its way to the top of the league.

The Crimson will travel to Ithaca, N.Y., for its third series of conference play next weekend, where it will face off against Cornell.

—Staff writer Sofia Zhang can be reached at [email protected].