The first two batters walked.

The first two batters scored.

Things were looking ominous for southpaw Janet Dickerman and the Harvard softball team.

"After those first two batters got on, I let Janet know she was going to have to throw some strikes," Crimson Coach John Wentzell said.

"She found her rhythm."

And an intoxicating rhythm it proved to be.

After escaping further first-inning damage, Dickerman proceeded to retire 12 straight hitters. And by the time Bentley's Cindy Courette slapped a one-out single in the top of the fifth, Harvard had turned a two-run deficit into a three-run lead.

With Dickerman hanging tough to notch her second complete-game victory of the week, the Crimson registered a 6-3 triumph over the visiting Falcons at Soldiers Field.

The batswomen (now 12-5 overall, 2-2 Ivy) needed a strong effort yesterday from the junior hurler. Dickerman has been filling the third spot in the pitching rotation this season and had been winless before last Thursday's 10-3 laugher at Tufts.

"It hasn't been easy for Janet this year, being the third pitcher," Wentzell said. "She hasn't had the volume of innings she had last year, but she's kept working at it. This was her best outing of the year."

When Bentley's Courette and Linda Woods received free passes to open up the contest, however, it looked to be one of her worst.

With two runs already in, the bases loaded, and only one down, the Falcons were threatening to blow the game wide open before the Crimson even got a shot at the plate.

But Dickerman bore down, retired the side on a pop-up and a fielder's choice grounder, and let her teammates' bats go to work.

Leadoff hitter Mary Baldauf reached on a walk, and both Lisa Rowning and Trisha Brown slapped singles to load the sacks. Harvard's threat peetered out after a Sharon Hayes sacrifice fly, though, and the batswomen retook the field still trailing by one.

But with Dickerman setting the Falcons down in order in the second, third and fourth frames, the Crimson had ample opportunity to strike.