Harvard Softball Earns 2-1 Victory Over Boston College in Blustery Home Opener

Morgan Groom pitched 5.1 innings, giving up just one hit Tuesday (Gil Talbot).

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  – A two-run third inning proved to be enough run support, as pitchers Morgan Groom and Taylor Cabe combined to limit Boston College (18-13) to just one run giving Harvard softball (10-11) a 2-1 decision on a blustery day at Soldiers Field.

The first two innings of Harvard's home opener passed without either team scoring, but the Crimson offense came alive in third. Rhianna Rich found herself on third with two outs after reaching on a fielder's choice, stealing second and taking third on a wild pitch. Fellow freshman Meagan Lantz completed her trip around the bases with an infield single.

Savannah Bradley made Lantz's journey around the bases much quicker, launching a double that hit
the warning track in left field in the next at bat, allowing the speedy Lantz to score all the way from first.

Groom continued to shut down the Eagles over the next two frames, before being relieved in the top of the sixth after starting the inning with a strikeout and a walk to Megan Cooley. Groom would leave the game with just one hit and one run allowed, on her way to picking up her fourth win of the season.

Cooley would come around to score two batters later on a Jessie Daulton single to right, but Harvard's Haley Davis came up throwing and got Loren DiEmmanuele, trying to score from second, at the plate to preserve Harvard's one-run lead.

Boston College was able to get a runner as far as second base in the top of the seventh, but Cabe notched her first save of the season when she got a line out to short and a ground out to third to end the frame.

Harvard begins Ivy League action this weekend, visiting Cornell Friday, April 1 for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Two games at Princeton follow on Saturday.