Crimson go out swinging

Out, but not down, could be the rallying cry of the 2004 Harvard softball team.

Since falling out of Ivy-title contention with a pair of late-inning losses against a surging Brown squad on April 25, the Crimson regrouped to capture three of their final five games (all at home) to close out the season with a winning 22-20-1 record.

Among the Crimson’s latest victories: a doubleheader-sweep of Dartmouth this past Saturday, which improved the team to 9-5 in Ancient Eight action – good enough for a third-place finish behind co-champs Brown and Cornell. Harvard went on to split a two-game series against Rhode Island the following day, falling 1-0 in game one, before battering the Rams in the second contest, 8-0, on the strength of a six-run fourth inning.

On the losing end, the Crimson failed to put away a feisty Boston College team on Tuesday afternoon, when the Eagles overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Crimson in 13 innings, 5-2. Down a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, Eagle Ashley Obrest launched a leadoff homer to put B.C. on the board. B.C. then tied the game when pinch-runner Sara Kellner hustled home from second following an errant throw to first by Harvard second baseman Sara Williamson.

After five quiet innings, the Eagles broke the standstill in the top of the 13th. With two outs, B.C. plated three runners, before denying the Crimson in the bottom of the frame to secure the 5-2 victory.

Tuesday’s contest marked the final outing on Soldier’s Field for seniors Rachel Goldberg, Monica Montijo, Sara Williamson, and team captain Kara Brotemarkle.