FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Harvard softball team (29-17-1, 16-5) ended their 2023 campaign as they fell to Notre Dame at the NCAA regional tournament and ended the year with a hard-fought battle. The Crimson's Ivy League regular season and tournament championship season finished with a 5-2 loss at the NCAA Fayetteville region. 

Lauren Bobowski was named to the NCAA Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament Team as she led the Crimson in hits and made an outstanding diving catch in center field against Notre Dame.

How it Happened

The Crimson were trailing 2-0 in the second inning when they first put runs on the board. Kendall Jean stepped up to the plate and put Harvard on the board with a two-out solo home run to left field, shifting the momentum of the game. 
 

The Crimson kept the Fighting Irish off the board before tying it up in the fourth as Savannah Fitzpatrick hit a double that brought Megan Welsh home. This brought the score level at 2-2. Notre Dame then scored three times over the remaining three innings to break the tie and grab the 5-2 win. 
 

Game Notes

• First-year Riley Flynn (8-2) got the ball to start for Harvard. Anna Reed was a bright spot for the Crimson, coming out of the bullpen and throwing two innings, giving up one run on two hits, with no walks and two strikeouts. Lindsay G. Poulos ended the game for the Crimson, as all three Harvard pitchers faced 28 Notre Dame hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out three.
• Jean led the Crimson at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.
• Bobowski got two hits off the Fighting Irish, while Fitzpatrick, Welsh, Trina Hoang and Teagan Shaw made it on base with a hit as well. 
• Harvard matched Notre Dame as both teams had one double and one home run.