The women's softball team (8-24, 5-11 Ivy) dropped two doubleheaders to first-place Harvard (26-11, 15-1) this weekend at Soldiers Field in Cambridge, Mass.
The Bears were defeated by one run, 2-1, in both games Friday afternoon. In the first game, Bruno got on the board in the top of the first after shortstop Stephanie Thompson '13 hit a home run. After a series of scoreless innings, Harvard tallied a run in the sixth inning to even the score, sending the game into extra innings. The Crimson finally topped the Bears in the bottom of the 10th.
In the following game, Harvard gained a 2-0 lead over the Bears by the third inning. At the top of the sixth, Bruno tallied a run after Misa Wong '15 hit an RBI single, scoring Thompson. But the Bears could not manage to find the equalizer and the Crimson were again victorious.
The Crimson secured the series sweep by earning 5-0 and 5-2 wins over the Bears Saturday. With these two victories, Harvard also clinched the North Division title for the Ivy League.
"They were definitely tough losses this weekend," said designated hitter Alyssa Caplan '13. "Jessica Cherness ('15) and Denise van der Goot ('15) pitched really well this weekend. They kept us close, but we just didn't put together the hits that we needed."
In the first game Friday, the Crimson's staunch defense shut out the Bears, and Harvard slowly added to its lead, scoring once in each of the first five innings to win.
In the second game, Harvard scored first, but the Bears evened the score 1-1 after rookie Trista Chavez '15 hit an RBI single. The Crimson then earned two more runs in the fifth inning. Bruno came within two runs in the sixth after Chavez hit an RBI double, but it was not enough. The Crimson tallied a run in the bottom of the sixth to best the Bears by three runs.
The Bears return to action April 24 against Bryant and then close their season with doubleheaders at Ivy rival Yale April 27 and 28.
"I really can't believe the season is almost over," Caplan said. "Hopefully, we will end the season on a positive note this weekend against Yale, and that can give us momentum going into next season."
