Softball, Columbia Split Doubleheader

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Harvard softball kicked-off its last Ivy League series of the 2026 regular season in the Empire State this weekend, as the Crimson split its doubleheader with Columbia.

The series opener saw the Crimson and Lions battled in an extra innings thriller, as the Crimson topped the hosts, 9-3, after 13 innings. Junior infielder

Sophie Sun hit two home runs, one of them being a go-ahead grand slam in the 13

th inning, as first-year infielder

Hannah Ziecik tallied a career-high four hits.

The day ended with a 9-6 win for Columbia, as both teams logged double-digit hits. Junior outfielder and team captain

Audrey Szollosi went a perfect three-for-three at the plate with three runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE

After a scoreless first inning, Harvard (20-21-1, 11-9 Ivy League) struck first in the second, taking a 1-0 lead on a passed ball. The third inning saw the Crimson double the lead, 2-0. Consecutive hits from Sun and senior infielder

Finley Payne put two runners on with just one out, as Salazar-Stewart found the gap in right center field to score a run.

In the home half of the third, Columbia (20-20, 12-8) took its first lead of the day, hitting a three-run home run, 3-2.

Harvard drew level with one swing in the fifth inning. Facing an 0-2 count with zero outs, Sun sent a shot to deep left field, tying the score at 3-3 with her 12

th home run this season. A native of Austin, Texas, Sun's 12 home runs this season are the most in a single campaign for a Harvard student-athlete since 2013.

From there, both pitching staffs were superb in the circle, not allowing a run for the remainder of regulation, as a Crimson contest went into extra innings for the fifth time this season.

Pitching defined the extra innings between the Crimson and Lions, as neither team scored a run until the 13

th inning. In the top of the 13

th inning, Harvard's offense rose to the occasion, scoring six runs to earn the victory. With the bases loaded, Sun launched a pitch to deep left field for her second grand slam of the season, 7-3. Harvard would push the lead to 9-3 to get back in the win column.

Harvard scored its nine runs on a season-high 19 hits against Columbia, as seven different Crimson recorded multiple hits in the series opener. Sun drove in five runs on two hits, as Ziecik tallied a career-best four hits across six at bats. Out of the bullpen, senior pitcher and team captain

Ryan Grace and junior pitcher

Nicolette Hunter combined for seven strikeouts across 9.2 scoreless innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO

After the marathon series opener, it was the hosts that took the initial lead in the second leg of the twinbill, as Columbia jumped to a 1-0 lead thanks to a solo home run in the second inning.

Harvard responded immediately, scoring two runs in the top of the third to regain a 2-1 advantage. Szollosi leveled the scoreboard by scoring on a wild pitch, as sophomore infielder

Alexa Muller put the Crimson ahead with a sacrifice fly.

The Crimson's third home run of the afternoon arrived during the top half of the fifth inning, as Payne sent a two-run shot to deep left field, 4-1. A native of Liberty Township, Ohio, Payne ranks second on the Crimson in both home runs (9) and RBIs (41) this season.

Columbia pulled back two runs, 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth. The bottom of the sixth saw the Lions tally six runs to take a 9-4 lead heading into the seventh inning. From there, Harvard would score two runs in the top of the seventh, as the hosts would hold on for a 9-6 victory.

Harvard scored its six runs on 10 hits, as Szollosi led all Crimson in the second game of the series with three hits and three runs on three at-bats.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Harvard's 13-inning 9-3 win against Columbia in the series opener is the Crimson's longest contest since the 2004 season, when Harvard lost to Boston College, 5-2, on May 4th, 2004.

• Ziecik recorded a career-best four hits against the Lions in the series opener.

• With her two home runs against the Lions in the series opener, Sun now has 13 home runs this year, the most for a Crimson in a single season since 2013.

• Forbes, Sun and Szollosi all extend their active hitting streaks to four games.

UP NEXT

Harvard ends the 2026 regular season tomorrow, as the Crimson and Lions return to the diamond tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. to close out the series.

For complete coverage of Harvard Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@HarvardSB) and Instagram (@harvardsb).