Athlete of the Week: Ben Crockett '02

If pride was all that mattered in the Harvard baseball team’s series finale against Dartmouth on Sunday, junior pitcher Ben Crockett gave his teammates a good reason to hold their heads high at game’s end.

After a weekend when the dominant Harvard team of the last two weeks was missing in action, Crockett reminded everyone just how unbeatable the Crimson really was at points this year.

And what might have been.

The veteran righthander pitched the game of his life Sunday, spinning a no-hit gem against a potent Big Green offense. Throughout the nine-inning complete game, Crockett was not only unhittable, he was virtually untouchable. He fanned a career-high 14 batters, including five in a row during one stretch, and faced the minimum number of opposing hitters.

And he did it all with Harvard’s confidence at its lowest ebb, as the Crimson’s playoffs hopes had just been dashed by virtue of its three losses earlier in the weekend.

But while Crockett’s no-hitter may have softened the blow, Harvard’s elimination was no easier to accept.

“We played real hard and left it all out on the field,” Crockett said. “There’s still definitely some disappointment. You kind of wish that [the no-hitter] had come a game or two before.”

Though Harvard’s fate had already been decided, Sunday’s contest was not a throwaway game by any means. Dartmouth still had everything to play for—they could have clinched the Red Rolfe title outright with a victory.

Instead, because of Crockett’s effort, the Big Green must now wait and see how Brown fares this week against Cornell. It would have been easier for Dartmouth if they could have just swept Harvard.

But Crockett would have none of that. Not on his home field.

With a little help from catcher Brian Lentz—who became an expert on the Big Green hitters after watching them for three games—Crockett was able to mix his pitches masterfully. Time and time again, he baited Dartmouth hitters into flailing helplessly at his curveball as it fluttered into the dirt. On nine of Crockett’s 14 strikeouts, Lentz had to throw down to first to complete the out.

His effort proved there was life after missing the playoffs. But Harvard may soon have to adjust to an even more dire prospect—life after Crockett.

All season long, major league scouts have flocked to O’Donnell Field—and with good reason. Since being named Pitcher of the Year in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer, Crockett has established himself as a top-tier prospect.

Sunday’s no-no was the pinnacle of Crockett’s development into a phenomenal pitcher. His time, it would appear, is now.

If Sunday’s game was indeed the last one he ever pitches for the Crimson, it was quite a send-off. When Harvard first baseman Josh San Salvador fielded a ground ball at first and stepped on the bag for the game’s final out, Crockett was mobbed by his teammates and Harvard’s fans rose to their feet for a standing ovation.

And with that, the Crimson suddenly had cause for celebration, if only for a little while.