Box Score (Harvard 4, Cornell 0)
Photo Gallery (Courtesy of the Ivy League)

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Harvard used a three run first to get out to an eaely lead and never looked back, winning the 2011 Ivy League championship with a 4-0 victory in game two of the best-of-three series against Cornell on Sunday afternoon at Soldier's Field. The Crimson advance to the NCAA tournament with a 36-14 record, while the Big Red's season comes to an end with a 27-22-1 mark.

Cornell senior Marissa Amiraian went 2-for-4 as the Big Red colelcted seven hits, but for the second consecutive game couldn't solve Harvard's pitching. The Crimson didn't allow a run and surrendered just 10 hits in 14 innings. Laura Ricciardone went five shutout innings, allowing just five hits to pick up the win. Rachel Brown, who was dominant in the circle on Saturday, struck out five in the final two innings to pick up the save.

The game marked the end of the careers of three Big Red seniors, including two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Elizabeth Dalrymple. Dalrymple allowed  two hits and one run while striking out four in 3.2 innings of work. Fellow senior Ali Tomlinson gave Cornell a chance to win in the circle with 3.1 innings of solid work, surrendering just three hits in taking the hard-luck loss. Amiraian's two hits ended her season with a .413 average in 2011.

The Crimson scored three times in the first, with the big blow being a two-run triple by Ashley Heritage after Allison Scott plated a run on an RBI groundout. The Crimson scored an insurance run in the sixth with a pair of singles, including an RBI to left by Scott. Kasey Lange led Harvard with a 2-for-3 day with two runs scored. Heritage and Scott each drove in two.

Cornell's best scoring chance came in the third when it loaded the bases with one out. Jenny Edwards opened the fram with a single, followed by a single by fellow freshman Lauren Bucolo. After a hard lineout by Kristen Towne for the first out, Erin Keene singled to right to load the bases. Tomlinson then hit a sharp liner down the rightfield line, but Whitney Shaw made a great grab and beat the runner to first base for a double play. The Big Red ended up stranding 11 runners against the Crimson.

The Big Red will return seven starters in the field in defense of its three straight Ivy League South Division championships in 2012.