Softball traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to compete in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Invite on Friday morning. The Red won all four of their games, finishing the competition with an impressive run differential of plus 37 and climbing to an 8-6 record.
The first game of the invite was a 25-2 rout over Holy Cross. The scoring bonanza came on the heels of a two-run homer from junior infielder Ella Harrod, a three-run homer from senior infielder Ella Antich, and a fourth-inning grand slam from junior outfielder Sydney Stapf. Freshman outfielder Charlize Cai finished three for five with three runs batted in. The winning pitcher was junior Kyrie Denny, who struck out five in 3.2 innings pitched.
Game two was a tight 3-2 victory against Rhode Island. Freshman infielder Emma Harshberger opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning, followed by junior catcher Lauren Holt hitting a groundout to score another run, giving Cornell a 2-0 lead in the first.
Rhode Island responded with two runs in the second inning, and scoring halted until the sixth when Cai hit a go-ahead RBI single to put Cornell on top 3-2. The score would hold for the remainder of the game, and Cornell came away with the victory.
Freshman pitcher Mila Fiordalisi pitched for five innings and gave up only one earned run. The winning pitcher was senior Maxine McCraw, who pitched two innings to close the game.
“We were aggressive at the plate. We put a lot of pressure on their defense,” head coach Julie Farlow said. “On the defensive side, our pitchers pitched well … allowing very few runs gives the offense the confidence to just keep going with it.”
The third game was a 4-3 win over Holy Cross. Holt reached on a fielder’s choice in the first inning to open the scoring. In the third, Holy Cross scored on a throwing error, tying the game at 1-1. Scoring stopped until the top of the eighth inning, when Holy Cross scored on a sacrifice fly.
Cornell responded in the bottom of the eighth when Harshberger tied the game once again with an RBI double. In the top of the ninth, Holy Cross scored on a ground out, taking the lead into the final frame.
Cornell was able to rally in the bottom of the ninth, and sophomore infielder Maddie Ullensvang hit a single to tie the game, and Antich’s RBI single brought in the winning run. Fiordalisi pitched an impressive complete game, striking out six and allowing zero earned runs.
The final game of the competition was a 12-0 win against Rhode Island. Cai recorded five RBIs, including a three-run homer. Harshberger and Holt recorded two RBIs each. Freshman outfielder Addison Pressley and Stapf each had one RBI. Kyrie Denny was the winning pitcher, pitching all five innings, striking out five and allowing zero earned runs.
Cornell will look to build on its impressive showing at the UMBC Invite as the season wears on. Up next for the Red is a three-game series against Yale University at home at Niemand-Robison Softball Field, beginning at 12:30 p.m. on March 22.
“We’re playing good softball,” Coach Farlow said. “That momentum gives them the confidence to go into the Ivy season and play as well or better than they are now.”
Fans looking to catch the action live can find coverage on ESPN+.
