Softball Rallies in Game One, Drops Doubleheader to Harvard

Saturday, April 11

Providence, RI

12:30 pm

Brown University

9-13, 3-6

Harvard

15-15, 6-3

Harvard

Brown

Softball Rallies in Game One, Drops Doubleheader to Harvard

4/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Freshman Emily Springfield hit an RBI single in the top of the seventh to tie game one at 1-1, but Brown University softball dropped a doubleheader to Harvard University, 3-1 and 9-1, on Saturday afternoon at the Brown Softball Field.

Playing in their first games at their true home field, the Bears (9-14, 3-7 Ivy) nearly rallied to win game one, but the Crimson (16-15, 7-3 Ivy) scored twice in the eighth before taking the second game of the Ivy League North Division twin bill in five innings.

Freshman pitcher Katie Orona (Pueblo, Colo.) threw a complete game in the opener, allowing just one earned run over eight innings to setup an opportunity for Springfield (Oceanside, Calif.) to tie the contest in the last of the seventh.

Next, Brown and Harvard renew acquaintances tomorrow when the teams play a doubleheader beginning at 12:30 p.m. in Providence.

Game 1 – Harvard 3, Brown 1 (8 innings)

Springfield tied the game at 1-1 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Harvard went on to score two unearned runs in the top of the eighth to take game one, 3-1.

After junior Janet Leung (Mississauga, Ontario) reached on an error, and sophomore Lauren Hanna (Milford, Mass.) placed a bunt single in the infield to set the table, Springfield came to the plate with two outs and sent a single into right field, scoring Leung and sending the game into extra innings.

Harvard responded with two runs in the next half inning as Emily Gusse sent an RBI singe through the left side, and Catherine Callaway drove in a run with a single up the middle. Crimson pitcher Laura Ricciardone retired the Bears in order in the last of the eighth.

Orona (6-5) tossed eight innings, giving up three runs, one earned, on five hits with three strikeouts.

Ricciardone (9-5) earned the win, pitching a complete game and permitting one run on eight hits with seven strikeouts.

Harvard posted the game's first run in the top of the first, but Orona held the visitors to one run in the inning and stranded three base runners.

Brown nearly answered in the bottom of the first as Hanna, who went 3-for-4, reached on a bunt single and stole second before freshman Yeram Park (Arcadia, Calif.) singled through the left side with one out. Ricciardone then induced a strikeout and a pop out to end the rally.

The Bears threatened again in the last of the fifth as Leung and Hanna made her way to third and second respectively prior to a Park walk with two outs. Ricciardone again got out of the jam, forcing a ground out.

Orona left two on base in the top of the sixth and faced the minimum in the top of the seventh to keep the Bears within 1-0.

Game 2 – Harvard 9, Brown 1 (5 innings)

Springfield recorded an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth to pull Brown within 4-1, but Harvard scored five times in the top of the fifth to gain a 9-1 win in five innings in game two.

For Harvard, Katherine Lantz, and Emily Gusse each posted three RBIs while Maddy Kaplan drove in a pair. Gusse hit a home run while Lantz tallied a double and a triple.

Taylor Cabe (4-6) picked up the win for the Crimson, throwing five innings and allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts.

Senior Jessica Cherness (Torrance, Calif.) took the loss (3-5), pitching two innings and giving up four runs, three earned, with one strikeout. Sophomore Leah Nakashima (San Jose, Calif.) did no allow an earned run in 2.2 innings of relief and fanned three.

Harvard struck for two runs in the top of the first as Lantz drove in one with a triple and Gusse brought home another with a ground out. The visitors pushed their lead to 3-0 in the top of the second on a Zoe Galindo single and to 4-0 in the top of the third on a lead off solo home run for Gusse.

The Bears nearly cut into their deficit in the top of the third as sophomore Sarah Syrop (Kennesaw, Ga.) led the inning off with a single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Grayson Metzger (Severna Park, Md.) and stole third prior to the inning's conclusion.

Brown broke through in the last of the fourth as Park worked a leadoff walk and stole second before Springfield brought her home.

Harvard scored five unearned runs in the top of the fifth on a Kaplan two-run single, a Lantz two-run double, and a Gusse one-run single.