But the Crimson bats would have none of that. Thoke and senior Crystal Springer started off a Crimson rally in the bottom half of the fourth with sharp, back-to-back singles. Two batters later, freshman leadoff hitter Tiffany Whitton came up with the bases loaded and smacked the ball off the upper center field wall in the deepest part of the park.

While Springer easily scored from third, freshman Monica Montijo was gunned down at the plate, and the Crimson left the inning with only a single run.

Despite the wasted opportunity, Harvard did not let down one bit. Sophomore shortstop Cherry Fu led off the bottom of the fifth with a strong single through short. After McKendry reached on a force, Koppel sent her to third with a slow roller up the middle.

The next hitter, pitcher Suzanne Guy, sent the ball weakly down the first base line, but Penn misplayed it, sending the ball into right field. McKendry came in with the tying run.

Once senior Jessie Amberg led off the bottom of the sixth with a double off the right-center wall, and Whitton reached after running out a ground ball to short, there was little doubt that Harvard would be mounting a game-winning rally.

Fu finally gave the Crimson a 6-5 lead with a single down the first base line. Then came McKendry and Koppel's heroics.

McKendry smacked the ball high in the air over the left fielder wall, her seventh homer of the season, putting Harvard up 9-5. Koppel followed with a shot in about the same direction as McKendry's, though not quite as far. That finally ended a long day for Penn pitcher Becky Ranta.