PRINCETON, N.J. – Top-seeded Princeton and third-seeded Columbia earned wins on the opening day of the Ivy League Softball Tournament at Cynthia Lynn Paul ’94 Field on Thursday.
 
GAME 1: #1 PRINCETON 7, #4 BROWN 5
No. 1 Princeton rallied from an early four-run deficit to defeat No. 4 Brown, 7-5, in the opening game of the tournament.
 
Brown struck first with a four-run second inning, highlighted by Amanda Deng’s two-run homer, and later took a 5-4 lead in the fifth on Abby Bettencourt’s solo home run. Princeton answered each time, tying the game in the fourth before taking the lead for good with three runs in the sixth.
 
Mia Valenzuela ignited the late rally with a solo home run, while Graciela Dominguez added an RBI single and Julia Dumais brought in another run on a sacrifice fly. Abby Hornberger delivered the biggest swing of the day for the Tigers, driving in three runs with a bases-clearing double with two outs. Brielle Wright earned the win in relief, throwing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
 
GAME 2: #3 COLUMBIA 7, #2 HARVARD 0
No. 3 Columbia backed a dominant complete-game shutout from Mads Lawson with an 11-hit offensive performance to defeat No. 2 Harvard, 7-0.
 
Lawson held the Crimson to two hits over seven innings, walking three and striking out three to keep Harvard off the board throughout. The Ivy League Pitcher and Rookie of the Year took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning. Columbia scored in five different innings, beginning with two runs in the first and adding two more in the third to take control.
 
Juju O’Brien led the Lions at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored and two walks. Alicia Marzouca added three hits and an RBI, while Savanna Messner homered and Tatum Hubble drove in two. Harvard’s hits came from Audrey Szollosi and Alexa Muller.
 
Princeton and Columbia will meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow for a spot in the championship game(s). Harvard and Brown will face off in an elimination game at 12:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to play the loser of Princeton-Columbia at 3 p.m. for the remaining spot in the final. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+.