Harvard softball lost its 2026 home opener against Dartmouth in extra innings, 3-2, at Soldiers Field on March 28.
The game was closely contested, with both teams displaying strong pitching and defense. Harvard’s record now stands at 10-13-1 overall and 2-2 in Ivy League play, while Dartmouth moves to 4-11 overall and also holds a 2-2 conference record.
Five different Harvard players recorded hits during the game. Senior infielder Finley Payne led the team with two hits and drove in a key run in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the score. This marks Payne’s sixth multi-hit performance of the season. Junior outfielder and team captain Audrey Szollosi started an important rally with a single early in the game, while sophomores Quinn Salazar-Stewart and Alexa Muller contributed by reaching base through walks.
The Crimson trailed for much of the contest but managed to even things up late. In the fifth inning, junior infielder Sophie Sun reached third base on a wild pitch and stolen base before Salazar-Stewart brought her home with a sacrifice fly. In extra innings, Dartmouth scored once more in the ninth inning to secure victory.
Junior pitcher Nicolette Hunter started for Harvard, recording five strikeouts over four innings while allowing two runs. Senior pitcher and team captain Ryan Grace pitched five relief innings with two strikeouts and allowed only one run.
Looking ahead, Harvard will conclude its series against Dartmouth with a doubleheader scheduled for tomorrow at Soldiers Field beginning at 12:30 p.m., with free admission available to fans. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
